1001 Golden Nights: Gold Nights Sagas: Book I
by CJ Moliere
Summary: A Rumbelle twist on the classic tale of Scheherazade. Rumplestiltskin has been the sultan of Azarajan for ten years but a plot is being hatched in his court to overthrow him. Into all of this comes Belle, the former princess of Avonlea whose father wants to use her to weaken the sultan's power but Belle chooses her own destiny in the sultan's court.
1. He Was The Sultan of Azarajan

Rumplestiltskin, the sultan of Azarajan sat upon his horse on the mountaintop gazing down at the battlefield below, his faithful bodyguards Graham and Jefferson at his side while his troops escorted prisoners from the defeated kingdoms of Agrabah and Avonlea back to the palace. His predecessor Zozo would have had them hanged, drawn and quartered as a warning to other nations of the penalties for invading and underestimating the small country on their borders while Rumple preferred negotiations first, only resorting to using force when all else failed and he would rather show mercy to his prisoners, unless they gave him cause to send them to the block.

"It was a great victory today my liege," Jefferson said.

"Indeed," the sultan murmured, turning his horse and riding back to the palace with Jefferson and Graham at his side. There was much to do now that Azarajan's two greatest rivals had been defeated. He needed to hold a meeting with Maurice the now deposed king of Avonlea and Jafar, the Grand Vizier of Agrabah to discuss the terms of their surrender. The first person he saw when he entered the throne room was his mother, the Valide Sultan Tatiana. Her son was the ruler of their land and she ruled his harem and acted as regent when he was away or ill.

"Well done, my dear boy. Well done," she said softly. "Now the other nations will think twice before attacking us and with the defeat of both Avonlea and Agrabah, we have expanded Azarajan's borders farther in ten years than your predecessor could in thirty."

And he had. Ten years ago he'd been a spinner barely making a living selling his wool and woven shawls and Afghans in the marketplace alongside his mother. Tatiana, always fiercely ambitious, wanted more for her son and set out to catch the eye of the childless and recently widowed sultan, Zozo. Rumor had it that the man put his wives to death when he grew bored with them...or just put anyone to death for his own amusement. The people were terrified of him yet no one dared oppose him and in Tatiana the sultan found a mistress who was cold and cunning as he was, so cunning that he hadn't realized until it was too late that she wanted her son on the throne and wasn't willing to wait long to make it happen. Once Zozo publicly named Rumplestiltskin as his successor Tatiana made her move and rid the kingdom of their hated sultan through poison.

"Thank you, Mother."

"Will you send for Cora or Milah tonight?"

"No. There are treaties and terms of surrender to be discussed with the Avonlea and Agrabah commanders. I will ask for one of them tomorrow evening if I desire to," he said and glanced over at Graham. "Find Baelfire and bring him to the council chambers."

"Yes, my liege."

Baelfire was the commander of the sultan's army, an orphan the sultan discovered on his first progress through the kingdom after he took the throne. Rumple treated the younger man like a son and to Bae, the new sultan of Azarajan became the father he never had before.

"Will you be visiting the harem at all?" Tatiana inquired.

"No, Mother," the sultan informed her and walked away, his bodyguards close at his heels. Tatiana smiled slyly and retreated to her own chambers. She pressed her hand against a loose stone in the wall and a panel slid open to reveal a staircase. She descended the steps and into a room where a young woman stood over a cauldron, stirring and chanting. She stepped back away from the cauldron and kneeled.

"My lady valide," she greeted and rose to her feet.

"The forces of Agrabah and Avonlea have been defeated as you predicted Regina."

"It is indeed a great victory for our lord sultan," the young alchemist said.

"And it seems that the sultan has lost the desire to bed his wives...or any woman. Your potion was a success."

"It has never failed before my lady valide. I must caution you...there may be some unpleasant side effects. The potion has been known to make a man who has lost his virility a bit...ill tempered."

"As long as it prevents him from siring an heir on those bitches Milah and Cora, I care not how ill-tempered it makes him," Tatiana said angrily. "I regret the day I brought Cora into the harem to distract Rumple's attentions away from that mindless sop Milah. She now intends to usurp my place as ruler of the harem and I will not allow that to happen. I'll see both of them on the block first."

Regina said nothing and returned to her work. She had a great deal of respect for the Valide Sultan who plucked her from the streets of Azarajan and gave her a place in her private household because of her talent for creating potions that healed many illnesses. She could also create poisons that were difficult to find remedies for yet this was a skill she rarely used. It still disturbed her that it had been one of her poisons that the valide used to rid Azarajan of its previous sultan and put her own son on the throne in his place. Still, Rumplestiltskin was a great improvement over his predecessor yet she feared this latest scheme of the valide's would transform him from a man into a beast.

Later that evening, Sultan Rumplestiltskin and his high commanders were gathered in the council chambers along with the deposed King Maurice of Avonlea and Jafar, the Grand Vizier of Agrabah.

"You will continue to serve as representatives of your lands to Azarajan but your armies will be disbanded," the sultan informed them. "However, you will be required to reside in my court. Your estates will be torn down and their lands put to better use."

"What?!" Maurice protested. "The castle has been in my family for centuries and you will destroy it?"

"Indeed. What need do you have of a grand estate when you will no longer be living in it? You will have lodgings more suitable to your position here at court as will you, Jafar. You will both return to your prospective countries in the morning under guard to gather your possessions and return to court."

"My daughter, what will become of her?"

"The lady Belle will be given what position the Valide Sultan sees fit in the harem."

"My daughter will not be one of your concubines! She is a princess!" Maurice protested.

"Former princess," the sultan corrected. "And despite rumors to the contrary, not all of the women in my harem share my bed. I consider most of them my daughters and treat them as such, not that it is any of your concern."

"My liege," Jafar spoke up. "Now that our nations have been united, I would like to now serve you as Royal Vizier."

"I will think on it," was the sultan's reply to Jafar's unasked question. He was well aware of the man's reputation in Agrabah as a plotter and schemer and if there was one thing he did learn from his predecessor it was that you kept your friends close and your enemies closer. Both men were potential threats that needed to be kept in check.

"Per the sultan's request, I will be stationing some of my legions in both Avonlea and Agrabah," Bae informed them. "To maintain peace and any uprisings will be dealt with...quickly."

The discussions went on until late in the evening. The sultan, now exhausted, called the meeting to an end. Before he was escorted back to his chambers, he walked with Baelfire to the stables. The young soldier was packing his saddlebags for his ride to Avonlea and Agrabah.

"Take care, Bae. I do not trust either Jafar or Maurice not to stage an uprising when they return to their countries. If you suspect that any plots are afoot or something seems amiss, you have my permission to act in whatever way you see fit. My only request is that you use sound judgment and show mercy to those whom are worthy of it."

"Don't I always, Papa?" he asked softly.

"Yes you do," Rumple murmured. "I feel my life was blessed the day I found you and I don't want to lose you."

"Don't worry about me. I'm taking my best soldiers with me."

"Do they include a certain fair haired maiden named Emma?" the sultan teased. Like Bae, the young woman had also been an orphan taken in by the sultan and from an early age she proved herself as good a soldier as his Bae. He had his hopes that the two of them would wed but Bae hadn't gotten around to posing the question yet.

"It does. She'd have my head if I left without her."

Rumple laughed. "That she would."

The two men embraced and Bae mounted his horse, riding off for Avonlea. Rumple returned to his chambers where his servants were placing the dishes for his evening meal on the table.

"Ahhh, chocolate covered strawberries. My favorite."

His food taster picked up one of the strawberries and took a bite. After several minutes he showed no signs of poison. Rumple dismissed him and the rest of the servants with a wave of his hand and sat down to eat. Before he would have asked one of his wives to join him but both of them were more interested in begetting an heir or satisfying their lusts rather than engaging in conversation. Cora, in the beginning had proven to be a worthy discussion companion. Now she spent most of the time complaining about his mother and Milah, even him now that he no longer had the desire to bed her or any woman for that matter. He was no longer a young man and assumed his condition was brought on by his age. He did want a child of his own, an heir for the throne but if he could not sire one, he would gladly proclaim Baelfire his successor.

He picked up one of the strawberries and bit into it, enjoying its sweet taste. Even when he was a poor spinner, they were one delicacy he never did without. Once he finished the first one, he reached for a second. Just as his fingers were about to grasp another from the bowl he was overcome by nausea.

"David...David!" he shouted out. The servant rushed into the room, gasping in horror when he discovered his master crouched on the floor vomiting violently.

"Fetch the Lady Regina!" David ordered another servant. "My liege...we must get you into bed."

"Can't..." he groaned and vomited again. Minutes later Regina entered the room.

"What has happened?" she demanded and knelt at the sultan's side. David explained to her what he'd seen and together the two of them helped him into bed.

Once she finished examining the sultan, Regina left his chambers in search of the Valide Sultan. She found her mistress in her salon having a cup of tea with Princess Ariel, daughter of King Tritan of Atlantica.

"Forgive me my lady valide but I must speak with you in private about an urgent matter," Regina said.

"Go on. We'll speak more when you return," Princess Ariel said to the older woman.

"Come," the valide instructed the young sorceress and the two of them walked down the hall and into the secret passage down to Regina's private quarters. "What has happened?"

"The sultan has been poisoned, my lady valide," Regina informed her.

"What? Are you certain? Does he still live?" the valide asked frantically.

"Fortunately I have encountered this poison before and was able to create an antidote but it will take several days before the sultan is fully recovered."

"How was it administered?"

"The most efficient way to introduce this type of poison into a victim's system is through food or drink. Its taste and odor mimics that of the strawberry, a fruit that is a favorite of the sultan's."

"But his food is tasted!" the valide protested.

"My lady valide a food taster's loyalty can be bought for the right price and as we are both aware, there are certain herbs one can take to build an immunity against many poisons. I suspect our food taster may be using such an herb."

"Then we will find out. Have the traitor brought to my chambers," the valide commanded. "We will discover who is responsible for this and have them brought to the block and may the gods have mercy on their worthless souls for I surely will not! I have worked too hard to keep my son on this throne!"


	2. He Was Unhappy

By all outward appearances, the sultan's wives Cora and Milah despised each other. For the first three years of Cora's time spent in the sultan's harem this was the truth and both of them lay most of the blame at the foot of the same person, the Valide Sultan Tatiana. She made it clear from the beginning that she'd been the mistress of the harem during the previous sultan's reign and had no interest in surrendering her position during her son's reign. They also blamed their husband for not being the kind of ruler they felt he should be, ruthless and bloodthirsty, fighting in the wars he raged on other nations alongside his armies, not watching from a distance as his armies won his victories for him. Both women knew that the key to taking control of the harem was bearing the sultan an heir. Neither woman found satisfaction in his bed any longer or loved him yet would go to him when summoned and use their skills in the erotic arts to achieve the desired results. Every month, however, each woman was reminded of her failure when her link with the moon remained unbroken. The women immediately suspected the Valide Sultan as the cause of their lack of fertility, she and that silly alchemist Regina. The valide's frequent use of potions and poisons against those who posed a threat to her position were well known so it was not a surprise when word reached the ears of the wives that they and any of the women chosen to go to the sultan's bed were being given a potion to prevent conception and there was no known antidote. Eventually Milah lost interest in being the sultan's wife and bearing his heir but she also was not willing to give up her comfortable surroundings...yet. Cora, on the other hand was determined to defeat the valide at her own game, bear the sultan's heir and when the time was right, remove him and rule as regent until her own child could take the throne himself.

Through their common misery, the sultan's two wives made a pact. They would continue their rivalry publicly and in private they would work together to overthrow and kill the weak Rumplestiltskin and his overbearing mother, the Valide Sultan. Cora would oversee their plans in the palace while Milah would take charge of their plans outside the palace walls. In the middle of the night while the other women in the harem and the guards and eunuchs slept soundly through a potion Cora mixed into their wine, Milah would leave the palace and go into town to meet with the man who would be instrumental in the critical phase of their plan, a pirate captain named Killian Jones. That he was also Milah's lover mattered little to Cora. She was only interested in the army he could raise among other pirate crews across the seas and once he fulfilled his duties, Cora would have him and Milah eliminated as well. She couldn't risk them posing any threats to her reign.

She suspected there had to be some remedy to the potion they'd been given and the answer was most likely in the alchemist Regina's library. Cora made an attempt to befriend the young woman in the past however the girl seemed unresponsive to her overtures. It didn't matter. She didn't need to befriend the girl to gain access to her books; that could be achieved with the right amount of gold coins...or veiled threats and not so veiled threats. Both produced results for the Valide Sultan. Cora found it fitting that the scheming bitch's own tricks would lead to her downfall.

Milah and Jones were dining in his quarters on his ship The Jolly Roger. He'd just returned from a long voyage at sea where he'd captured several ships from the neighboring kingdom of Wonderland and relieved them of the gold and jewel filled chests and the crew members sent to the bottom of the ocean in chains after being forced to walk the plank at sword point. They both reached into the chest of gold, laughing as they ran their fingers through the coins, thinking that it was now only a matter of time before they would be wealthy enough that Milah could escape the palace and still have the luxuries she wanted and a man she enjoyed taking to her bed. She could care less if Cora or the brat she planned to have with the weak Rumplestiltskin sat on the throne or not. Once she and Killian made their fortune, they could live anywhere they wanted and Azarajan, the sultan and the valide could all rot.

"I have to be more careful now, love. King Will and Queen Anastasia of Wonderland now have a price on my head and they are sending an emissary to ask the sultan for his assistance in capturing me," Jones informed her.

"This ship is not one of the ones you use in your attacks, is it?"

"No, this old girl's been through quite a few adventures of her own."

Milah hung onto his every word just as she had from the night they met. She knew some of the palace guards went into town to drink and wench when the sultan was away and borrowed one of their unforms to go into town herself to seek out her own distractions from the misery she felt. The sultan did not approve of the behavior of his guards and once tales of debauchery reached his ears, the punishment for it depended on the offense. Some went to the block, some were forced to endure hard physical labor and others suddenly found themselves the newest members of the eunuch population. Unlike his predecessor, Rumplestiltskin would not tolerate violence against women and children in his kingdom by anyone and those found guilty of doing so were punished in any of the three ways he decreed. The punishment for treason however, was always to lose one's head on the block. He did not enjoy imposing a death sentence however he did not hesitate to do so when the safety of his people was at stake.

Milah spent the rest of the night in her pirate lover's bed while Cora spent hers keeping a young woman named Aurora locked in her quarters threatening the girl with anything that she could to ensure her cooperation in gaining access to Regina's quarters. Aurora spent a great deal of time in the company of the valide, who was teaching the girl how to spin. She was also taking weaving lessons from the sultan. Her instructions were to locate where the key was that unlocked the door to Regina's quarters and report it back to Cora. The sultan and valide planned a progress to the newly conquered lands of Avonlea and Agrabah in the following months and would take Regina with them. Then would be the time Cora would steal into Regina's quarters to find the information she sought.

Early the next morning, the Valide Sultan entered her son's chambers to see his condition for herself. Regina spent most of the night tending to him, administering the antidote. He was in constant pain, barely able to move or breathe and could only handle taking sips of water.

"Mother..." he whispered.

She took his hand and clasped it in hers. "I will find the person responsible for this, darling and they will suffer more than you are now tenfold!" she vowed.

"Could...be...anyone..." the sultan closed his eyes and fell back into an exhausted sleep. The valide kissed him on the forehead and left his chambers. She motioned for her guards to follow her down into the dungeon where the food taster was suspended from the ceiling by his ankles in chains. A cauldron of boiling oil was simmering below him. Her son had abolished this form of punishment along with so many of the others Zozo employed at the beginning of his reign. Now that the valide was acting as regent, she felt it necessary to revive them, remembering the most important lesson he'd taught her. There was no more powerful motivator than fear.

"Unless you want to be boiled alive, I strongly suggest you answer my questions!" the valide hissed. "Who is trying to assassinate my son!?"

"I...I can't...please...you don't understand...my family..."

"Will be well taken care of...as will you...if you cooperate."

"I...I cannot..."

One of the guards punched the man in the face. "You will answer or by the goddess it will go badly for you before you boil," he growled.

"Cover the cauldron and take him down," the valide commanded. She glanced over at the dungeon warden. "Bring them in."

"Yes, my lady valide," he said while the taster was released from the shackles and dragged over to a table and chained down. The warden returned with a pair of forceps sizzling from being heated in a fire.

"Now then...for every time you do not give me the answer I require; you will lose one fingernail. Then we shall proceed to your toes. If needed, we will then begin to remove...other things." the valide said coldly. "I will ask you again: who is trying to assassinate my son!?"

"I...I don't know."

"Liar! Begin!" the valide yelled. Screams echoed throughout the dungeon.

A man watching from the shadows raced upstairs to the chambers of his commander, Bae.

"What have you learned, Phillip?" Bae asked.

"It is as the sultan suspected. The valide is using tactics he has expressly forbidden."

"I will inform him immediately. As to the other matter, has there been progress?"

"Yes. I am meeting with my informant this evening."

"Good. Keep on it." Bae instructed.

When Bae entered the sultan's chambers he was sitting up attempting to eat a bowl of soup. He set it down immediately when he saw the furious expression on his son's face.

"You were correct, Papa. She is now in the dungeon with your food taster."

"Help me up Bae," he muttered.

"Papa, let me handle this. You need to rest."

"I cannot rest while my mother uses her position as regent to terrify my people!" he cried. "We will discover the masterminds of this plot without using Zozo's tactics! Get me out of this bed or I'll do it myself!" he threatened. Bae, seeing there was no point in arguing with Rumple when he made up his mind on something draped the sultan's arm over his shoulders and helped him to his feet. Hearing the agonized screams of his mother's victim nauseated him worse than the poison slowly working its way out of his system. Bae threw open the dungeon doors just as the warden was preparing to remove one of the victim's fingers. "ENOUGH!" Rumple roared.

"Rumple...you should be in bed," the valide protested.

"Have you lost your minds?! Release him...immediately!"

"I am acting regent," the valide reminded him.

"No longer!" Rumple shouted. "I've warned you once before about this, Mother. We will obtain the information we need by other means and as of this moment I am having you placed under house arrest for a length of time I will determine later. If you attempt to escape your confinement, you will be charged with treason. Do you understand me?"

"I...I'm only trying to protect you."

"Do us both a favor and find another means of doing so without resorting to brutality!" he snapped. "Remove her!" he instructed Jefferson and Graham. "And have him brought to the council room after his wounds have been tended to!"

"...I told you you needed to rest Papa," Bae reminded the sultan when he carried him over to his chair and carefully sat him down. "You look like you're about to faint."

"I will rest when I find out who is trying to kill me and see them punished," Rumple insisted. "What news have you from Phillip's informant?"

"The plot, as you suspected, seems to have originated in your harem."

Rumple sighed. "All of them learned the art of scheming from my mother. Which one of them is it? Cora or Milah?"

"Why do you believe it is one of your wives when it could be another?"

"No, it is one of my wives...or both. That much is certain. Both of them have been extra...attentive to me as of late, using whores' tricks which is what aroused my suspicions and not my lust as they hoped."

"Has Victor been able to determine the cause of your malady?"

"I am not a young man anymore, Bae."

"Nor are you in your dotage! Take another wife, perhaps that is the solution," Bae suggested.

"No woman will want a husband who cannot respond to her, Bae."

"I think that if you found a woman who truly loved you, lack of bedsport will not matter."

"This coming from the man who engages in bedsport often...more often than he thinks I am aware of? It's not proper, Bae. I've told you before...make an honest woman of Emma before you put a child in her belly. Or...I could marry you by royal decree."

"Emma will not be forced into matrimony, Papa. You know that."

"Then will you please stop adding to my anxiety and propose...properly."

Jefferson and Graham entered the council chambers an hour later with the food taster. As soon as he was released, he fell to his knees before the sultan.

"My liege, I beg, you have mercy...if not for me...for my family."

"You are aware, are you not that the penalty for treason is death on the block?" the sultan asked him. The man nodded. "And that all your possessions are forfeit to me?" Another nod. "Good. Then I expect you to say one thing and one thing only the next time your lips move: who wants me dead?"

"I do not know!" he cried.

"That is not what I wanted to hear," the sultan said coldly.

"Please, my liege...I...I was only given a pouch with the poison and some herbs for myself to take once I tasted the strawberries."

"Who gave them to you?" Rumple demanded and stood up, bracing his hands on the arms of the chair to keep his balance, his patience quickly coming to end while he fought back the exhaustion sweeping over him.

"T...The person was wearing a hooded cloak...I did not see their face."

"Did this person speak to you?"

"Y...Yes."

"Now then, was it a male or female?" Rumple pressed.

"F...Female, my liege."

"You are certain of that?"

"Yes," the man sobbed.

"Would you recognize the voice if you heard it again?"

"I...I believe so."

"Return him to the dungeons and guard him yourself, Jefferson. Graham, Baelfire, come with me," the sultan instructed. The taster wept while he was being escorted back to the dungeon.

'What do you have in mind, Papa?" Bae asked.

"My wives would have approached him, or they had someone else approach him for them. I am quite familiar with my own mother's plots from her time in Zozo's harem to recognize a repeat of them when I see them."

"But which scenario is more likely to have occurred?" Graham mused.

"That is what I intend to find out. It's time I paid a visit to my harem. Have the taster brought up and concealed in one of Mother's passages behind the harem walls. As soon as he recognizes the voice he heard when he was given the poison, come to the harem and ask to speak to me in private and then we will proceed from there."

"Yes, my liege."

As soon as he walked into the harem, he was surrounded by a group of women.

"Papa! You had us so worried!" Aurora cried, throwing her arms around him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his two wives exchange nervous glances.

"Regina is giving me a potion to rid my system of the poison, dearie so you needn't worry any longer," he assured the girl.

"Did you find who did it, Papa?" Ruby asked.

"Not yet but I will," he said firmly.

Cora rose to her feet and approached him. "I am pleased to see you are up and about, my lord," she said. "We heard such terrible rumors. Won't you sit down and have some tea?"

He settled himself in a chaise beside Aurora, waving away the cup of tea one of the eunuchs handed to him. "I'm afraid I am still unable to drink anything but water, my dear," he replied, enjoying the brief flicker of anger in her eyes. Cora, despite her belief to the contrary was not able to conceal her emotions very well. "Milah, you have been strangely...silent...are you not pleased to see me?"

"I...I did not expect to see you up and about so soon, my lord," she said quickly.

There was a knock on the door and one of the eunuchs opened it to reveal Bae. "My liege, I must speak with you about an urgent matter."

"Dearies, please forgive me but I must take my leave," the sultan said and stood up. "Come," he said to Bae and the two of them walked down the hall while Graham, and Phillip entered the harem to prevent the guilty parties from escaping.

"The taster is certain it was Cora's voice he heard...and Philip has gotten some new information from his informant that Milah and a pirate named Killian Jones are also involved. I've also heard Milah has been sharing the pirate's bed."

"Oh, has she? I want the scoundrel found and arrested."

"It will be done, Papa. I'll scour every nook and cranny in Azarajan if I have to but we will find hm."

"Go then."

The sultan was smiling coldly when he returned to the harem in time to see both of his wives being restrained by guards.

"You impotent bastard!" Cora hissed. "I should've given you a stronger dose!"

"Ah, but you didn't. You may think yourself a clever plotter but you're forgetting that my mother taught me how to play the game far better than you. Take her to the dungeon!" he commanded then faced his first wife. "As for you, whore, my greatest satisfaction will be imagining the look on your lover's face when my executioner's axe severs your head from your body!" he snarled.

"He'll find a way to get you. You'll see!" Milah vowed.

Rumple laughed menacingly. "Not if I get to him first. Remove her!"

Both women screamed hysterically as they were being dragged out of the harem. Aurora collapsed to the floor in tears. Rumple kneeled beside her and wrapped his arms around her protectively. "You no longer have anything to fear from them, darling. They will never be able to hurt you again. You were very brave to do what you did."

"B...but I was too late to stop them from p...poisoning you," she sobbed.

"Yet had you not broken your silence a second attempt would have been made, possibly a success," he reminded her then glanced over at another young girl who stood in the corner of the room away from the others. "Mulan, dearie. Come here."

"My liege," the girl said and bowed.

"It appears that you have skills better suited somewhere outside of my harem." he said with a smile. "As of this moment I am reassigning you to my royal army."

"You mean it?" the girl asked hopefully.

"I do. I will have Baelfire instruct you in combat and you are already quite a clever spy."

"My liege...I...I don't know what to say." Mulan stammered. A position in the royal army was all she'd been hoping for since she entered the sultan's household and learned that he already had one woman in his army.

"Continue to serve me with loyalty. That is all the gratitude I ask of you," he informed her.

"Come along, Mulan. There's a lot to learn," Bae said, escorting the girl out.

Rumple spent the rest of the afternoon in the harem with his "daughters". They were mostly orphans he discovered during his progresses to kingdoms he conquered or in the streets of Azarajan like his son. The sultan had always desired a large family and had one through his most trusted guards and the young women who lived in his harem yet despite all the love and attentions they lavished on him, he still felt a hole in his heart and longed to fill the empty place in his bed but who could love a man whom two days later stood calmly and watched as his wives were forced to lay their heads on the block as the executioner's axe swooped down and severed them from their bodies? It was for the safety and security of his reign he assured himself but not everyone would see it that way.

In a secluded part of the palace grounds two men were engaged in a tense conversation.

"It seems the sultan is much more clever than we anticipated. We must be more cautious if we want our plan to succeed," Jafar said.

"What do you suggest?" Maurice asked.

"That we weaken him by other means."

"What means?"

"Your daughter, Belle is quite beautiful...and highly intelligent. A rather pleasant distraction wouldn't you say?"

"Y...You aren't suggesting that my daughter marry that...that beast?" Maurice sputtered.

"Do you want your kingdom returned to you or not?" Jafar demanded.

"Of course I do but not this way! We must raise an army."

"We no longer have the support we need as our people now support him!" Jafar hissed. "If we place her before the sultan and he becomes...distracted with her, that will provide us with the opportunity we need to seize the throne and take back our own lands as well. You needn't worry Maurice. I am told the sultan can no longer bed a woman properly thanks to his meddlesome mother."

Maurice smirked. "Not at all?"

"Not at all. Then will you do it. Will you place your daughter before the sultan?"

"I will."

Later that night Jafar, his face concealed by a dark hood walked into a tavern frequented only by the dregs of society...pirates.

"I'm looking for a man named Jones. Is he here?" he asked the bartender.

"What ya want with him?"

"That's my business. Is he here or not?"

"I'm Jones. Who the hell are you and what do you want?" a pirate dressed in a long black leather coat demanded as he approached.

"Perhaps we'd better move this conversation to a more convenient location?" Jafar suggested.

"Fine. We'll go to my ship but I warn you mate, you try anything and you walk the plank!" Jones threatened.

They walked down the dock to the Jolly Roger. Jones had a member of his crew search Jafar for weapons all of them surprised by his indentity once they removed his cloak. Jones invited the former vizier into his quarters and handed him a cup of rum.

"So, what does the vizier of Agrabah want with a pirate?" Jones inquired.

"The same thing you do, my friend."

"Oh, and what is that?"

"To kill the sultan of Azarajan," Jafar sneered. "Do we have an accord?"

Jones grinned. "We do," he said and raised his cup. He had his own plans for the demise of the bastard who killed his beloved Milah but it never hurt to have a backup in case the original failed.


	3. The Loveliest Woman He'd Ever Seen

Belle, the former princess of Avonlea took one last look at the grand castle that had been her home since birth, brushing tears from her eyes. She'd voiced her disapproval over her father's alliance with Jafar of Agrabah and the joint attack on the sultan of Azarajan having heard that the forces of the small country that bordered their own surpassed their own in skill and technology. Were she on the throne she would have sent an emissary to the sultan to discuss a peaceful solution first. She thought it wrong that their people would be sent to the front to give their lives in a war they had no business fighting. She also knew the sultan had offered to discuss a peace treaty first but Jafar was not willing to discuss anything. He convinced his own sultan to send in their troops to regain the lands the Azarajan throne had conquered years before under the reign of the notorious Zozo. The sultan of Agrabah was slain on the battlefield along with countless others and the sultan of Azarajan arose the victor. Now her own father, once a great king was now titleless and landless. Her pleas for peace had fallen on deaf ears. She was a woman, her father reminded her, and women had no business interfering in affairs of state. This angered her. Wonderland was ruled by a woman and when the sultan of Azarajan was away or ill his mother, the Valide Sultan ruled as regent on his behalf yet she would not have been able to claim the throne in her own country. Her husband would have ruled in her stead. Now neither of them would rule.

"What do you think will become of us, Madeline?" Belle inquired of her lady-in-waiting when their caravan arrived at the palace.

"You, I am assuming will be given a place in the sultan's harem."

Belle gasped. "But I only know what transpires between a man and woman in the bedchamber from my books and my virtue should only be for my husband. I cannot be a sultan's concubine!"

"Have no fear, my lady. I am told the sultan no longer desires a woman in his bed," Madeline assured her. "The only women in his harem now are young girls and he treats them like daughters, nothing more. You are an intelligent girl, perhaps that will help you gain favor. But I must warn you, beware of the Valide Sultan. She is a notorious schemer and if she sees you as a threat to her position she will destroy you as she did the sultan's wives."

"I thought they were executed because they tried to poison him."

"And they did but prior to that the valide had both of them given a potion to render their wombs barren and it is also rumored that she had given the sultan a potion to render him impotent."

"Madeline! Where did you hear all of this vicious gossip?" Belle asked.

The lady-in-waiting smirked. "Men can be quite vocal in bed. A woman can learn his secrets easily with the proper motivation."

Belle gasped. "Madeline! Have you been...?"

"You will understand once you take a husband or a lover."

A group of palace guards awaited the two women as they stepped out of the caravan. They were escorted down a long hallway. Belle paused to glance into the throne room where the sultan himself sat, speaking to a couple. She could not hear what they were saying.

"My lady, we must go," Madeline urged. Belle hesitated for a moment. The sultan seemed to be a reasonable man. Perhaps if she spoke to him...

"My lady!" Madeline was insistent, pulling the girl away. It was not time for them to meet...yet. Maurice's instructions were explicit. They had to wait for just the right moment to put the girl in the sultan's path. The thought of the girl who was more like a daughter to her being used as a pawn against the man who stole their lands sickened her but there was no other option. The sultan did not trust the former king enough to give him a power position in the Azarajan court and he trusted Jafar even less. That was one thing she and the sultan could agree on. The sultan may have been an ill-tempered beast at times but Jafar was a viper and more dangerous.

"...Welcome to my court," Rumple greeted the couple that stood before him. "You are Cyrus and Alice, emissaries from Queen Anastasia and King Will of Wonderland?"

"Yes, my liege," Cyrus answered.

"And what does Her Majesty need my assistance with?"

"My liege, as you may or may not be aware, there has been an increase in pirate activity on the seas. Weeks ago one of the queen's ships came under attack from a pirate you now seek on charges of attempted murder."

"Killian Jones," the sultan growled. "He has eluded capture...so far, but I will find him and when I do, he will face my punishment. He may have stolen some gold and trinkets from your land but he is guilty of an attempt to assassinate me and for that I will see him on the block! Agreed?"

"Her Majesty says that you may punish him as you see fit. All she is asking for is your assistance in capturing him."

"She will have it," the sultan assured the pair. "You are not starting back for Wonderland tonight, are you?"

"We were thinking of it, my liege," Alice spoke up.

"Nonsense. You are more than welcome to spend the night here. Ashley!" he called out. A young, blond servant entered the throne room and bowed.

"Yes, my liege?"

"Prepare rooms for our guests and send word to the Valide Sultan that I am lifting her punishment for this evening so that she may dine with us."

"Yes, my liege."

The valide had been restricted to her quarters for a period of six months by the sultan and carefully watched for any attempts to escape yet she had no intentions of doing so. Her son was clever but she'd been playing the game longer and knew how to work around restraints. Now that Cora and Milah were out of the way, the valide could concentrate her efforts on finding her son another wife, one who would bear his child and give him the love he needed. It was what she'd been trying to do the first two times but neither of the women she chose were capable of the deep abiding love Rumple was capable of giving. He was the exact opposite of the drunken, gambling fool who spawned him and even her to some extent.

Her greatest regret was that the potion she'd used to rid her son and herself of two women who didn't deserve what they had was slowly turning her son's heart and body cold to the possibility of love. He was still a firm but just ruler, doted on the young women in his harem he considered his daughters and Bae but he would not allow himself to take an interest in any woman for a wife. She and Regina poured over every book they had on potions and poisons searching for a cure and could find nothing.

She felt a bit at ease when she was informed by one of Rumple's servants, a man named Thomas that her presence was requested for dinner that evening. Even when Cora and Milah lived, the Valide would often sit by her son's side at formal dinners and act as hostess as she did during Zozo's reign. Normally this duty was performed by the sultan's wife. Milah lacked both the intellect and the patience to be a hostess and their guests were insulted by Cora's haughtiness.

Rumple rose to his feet when his mother entered the dining room and took her hand in his. "Mother, may I present the emissaries from Wonderland, Alice and Cyrus. Alice and Cyrus, my mother the Valide Sultan Tatiana." The couple bowed.

"You are most welcome at our court," Tatiana said softly and the group sat back down at the table while the first course of their dinner was being served.

"Thank you my lady valide," Cyrus said.

"My lord, your court structure is very different and I'm afraid I'm a bit confused. Would you be so kind as to explain it to me?" Alice inquired.

"Of course. I, as sultan or king if you will, am Azarajan's undisputed ruler. My mother's title is the Valide Sultan or as you would call her the Queen Mother. She can rule as regent in my behalf if I am away or ill. She also rules over my harem which consists of my wives, concubines and daughters. I do not have a wife or as I would call her, my kadin, at the moment. Her official title would be the Haseki Sultan and she would succeed my mother as Valide Sultan when our son became sultan. Nor do I have any concubines but I do have daughters. They are not my children by blood, rather they are orphans I have taken in along with some of the men who serve in my army," the sultan explained.

"How many...kadins are you permitted to have?"

"Four and as many concubines as I see fit but I have learned that having more than one wife leads to...difficulties," he said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry..." Alice said nervously when she noticed that the sultan seemed upset when discussing wives.

"It's all right, dearie," he assured her although he was eager to change the subject. "Cyrus, I believe you were born and raised in Agrabah, is that correct?"

"It is."

"Tell me, what do you know of Jafar?" Rumple quizzed.

"Only what I heard, my lord. He was the late sultan's royal vizier though the people believed he was the one ruling the country and not the sultan. Our sultan was...odd to say the least."

"I see," Rumple murmured. "I was told he'd gone mad after his heir died under mysterious circumstances."

"That was the rumor. He made few public appearances after that and Jafar basically took control of the kingdom. If he is here in your court I would have him carefully watched...if you'll forgive me for being so bold."

"You needn't worry. I've gotten used to plotters and schemers in my court...and seen that they are dealt with," he said, casting a glance at his mother who quickly looked down at her plate.

Moments later David entered the dining room, bowing, "Please excuse the interruption my liege, but the caravans from Agrabah and Avonlea have arrived. The Avonlea caravan is only carrying two passengers, the lady Belle and a woman named Madeline."

"The valide will see to them," the sultan informed him.

"Mother?"

"Of course. My apologies but as mistress of the harem I must make certain our new arrivals get settled in," the valide explained to their guests and took her leave while her son entertained their guests alone.

Belle and Madeline had been escorted to the chambers of the Valide Sultan Tatiana. Belle was nervous about meeting the formidable woman but she wanted to make a positive impression since she was acting as a representative for the women of Avonlea. Two servants opened the double doors to the chambers and the valide entered the room. Belle and Madeline bowed.

"You may rise," the valide commanded, circling the women, studying them, her gaze focused more on the blue eyed, auburn haired young woman. "What was your role in King Maurice's court, Lady Madeline?" she inquired of the elder female.

"I was Pr...Lady Belle's lady-in-waiting and also responsible for her health and education," Madeline answered proudly.

"She will have no need of a lady-in-waiting in this harem," the valide declared. "We will find you another position in the palace."

"My lady valide, with all due respect, why must I be separated from Belle when I have been with her since her birth?" Madeline questioned.

"You dare to question my decisions?" the valide demanded angrily, glaring at her. "Feel fortunate that I do not send you back to Avonlea to fend for yourself in the streets!"

Madeline bowed and lowered her head. "I beg your forgiveness, my lady valide."

"Lancelot, please escort the lady Madeline to her new quarters. I will speak to the lady Belle in private."

"Yes, my lady valide," the guard said, taking Madeline by the arm and leading her away. Madeline frowned. Maurice was not going to be pleased with this turn of events. She could not assist them in placing Belle before the sultan if the girl was under the complete control of the valide. Was it possible she suspected there was a plot afoot and she was working against it? Somehow she had to get a message to the former king.

"You are quite beautiful Lady Belle," the valide said softly to her. "Come, sit with me and we'll talk a bit." The valide led the girl over to the sofa. "Tell me, are you able to read and write?"

"I can, my lady valide, in several languages including Azarajan," Belle answered.

"Excellent. And do you sing or play any instruments?"

"I can sing and I do play the piano."

"And can you spin or weave?"

"I can weave but I am not very good at it or spinning," Belle answered honestly.

"What knowledge do you have of what transpires between a man and a woman in the bedchamber?"

Belle blushed. "O...Only what I have read in my books, my lady valide. Forgive me my lady valide, but may I ask why you have separated me from my lady-in-waiting and what purpose I will serve in the sultan's harem?"

Instead of becoming angry the valide smiled. "You are beautiful, brave...and intelligent...but your purpose; that will come to you in time. In the meantime, we must begin your education of our way of life. You are no longer an Avonlea princess...you are a member of the harem of Azarajan and your words and actions will reflect that. As such, I expect you to represent both the harem and your lord sultan in a dignified fashion."

"I will strive to do so, my lady valide."

"I am certain that you will. Come, I will introduce you to the sultan's daughters."

Belle was delighted to meet the other young women, intrigued by how all of them had come to be part of the sultan's harem. The eldest girl, Ruby, the sultan discovered along with her brother Graham being raised by a wolf pack. The other two girls, Snow and Aurora he rescued from Zozo's dungeon after the former sultan conquered their parents' kingdoms. The former sultan planned to make both of the girls his concubines but the valide would not have it since both of them were not of the age of consent and Zozo was not gentle with maids at all. She could tell by the way the girls spoke that they adored Rumplestiltskin, their "Papa" and it made him sound less like the beast her own father and Jafar made him out to be and looked forward to seeing him in person. The girls assured her that he visited the harem now more than he did when his wives inhabited it. The adored their papa but despised his late wives.

The valide watched the lady Belle interacting with the sultan's daughters, smiling to herself, feeling confident that she at last had found the woman she was searching for her. Her son needed an heir but he also needed love. After so long searching through their books the valide and Regina had come to the conclusion that the sultan's malady was prolonged by the void in his heart. Her introduction to him would need to be carefully executed without their knowledge. If he suspected a plot he would close his heart off to the girl. No, this could not be rushed and forbidden fruit was the most compelling.

At the end of the week word reached the valide that the sultan would visit the harem and she immediately went to Belle's chamber to awaken the girl from her slumber. When she walked into the room the girl was lying on her bed reading a book. Belle immediately rose and bowed to the valide.

"I am giving you permission to spend the day with Lady Madeline," she said.

"But...my lady valide, shouldn't I be here for the sultan's visit?" Belle inquired.

"You are not yet ready to be introduced to him." the valide replied. "Lancelot, escort Lady Belle to Lady Madeline's chambers," the valide instructed. Belle found it odd that the valide seemed eager to keep her out of the sultan's sight yet she could not disobey her orders. When she was alone with Madeline she explained the situation to her. Her former lady-in-waiting was as confused by the valide's actions as she was only it was for a different reason. By keeping the girl from the sultan, the valide was thwarting all their plans. Was it possible she was aware of the plot to use the girl to weaken him and taking steps to prevent it?

They weren't the only ones to question the valide's actions regarding the girl. When he visited the harem, the sultan was also wondering why the former princess of Avonlea was not there to meet him.

"Is something wrong with her, Mother?" he inquired.

"No. She's just learning our ways...it will take some time."

He scowled. "This had better not be another of your schemes. I won't stand for it. Your efforts to throw a woman in my face backfired on both of us in the worst way possible," he warned.

"It's not Rumple," she protested. "You do, however need an heir."

"And how will I sire one, Mother, in my condition!?" he snapped. "And what woman will want a man who cannot even function like one in the bedchamber?" He laughed bitterly. "I may as well be a damned eunuch thanks to you and your meddling!"

"I didn't..."

"Don't lie to me! Victor has given me a thorough examination and determined my condition can only be the result of some sort of potion you had Regina concoct. Now, is there a cure for it?"

"None that we can find," the valide admitted sadly. "Rumple, I'm so sorry," she sobbed and reached for his hand.

He pulled it away. "It's too late for that, Mother."

When his daughters entered the quarters his mood improved. There was nothing more that he enjoyed than spending time with his many adopted children.

"Papa, I made you something," Aurora said and handed him a shawl she'd been weaving. "I know it's not very good."

He smiled. "It's perfect, sweetheart. Your weaving has gotten so much better. You've been practicing between our lessons, haven't you?"

She nodded. "I'm getting better at spinning too."

"Will we be going riding soon, Papa?" Snow asked.

"You just want to see if you can improve your aim with your bow, don't you, poppet?" he teased. The girl giggled. "Just be certain not to be firing in the direction of David's backside again."

"It was an accident," the girl defended.

"Oh, and it happening after you saw him talking to Kathryn was just a coincidence? I think not. You will have to make your mind up about what you want to do with the boy soon. I'll give him a new title if you decide you wish to marry him."

"You would do that, Papa?" she asked hopefully.

"If it makes you happy."

She threw her arms around him.

"Aurora, I've noticed that Phillip is quite taken with you," Rumple said to his other daughter.

"If he asks permission to court me, Papa, will you grant it?"

"I will. Now if I could just get your brother to court Emma properly."

They all laughed.

"Now then, get dressed in your riding clothes dearies," he said to them. The girls retreated to their rooms to change while the valide glanced over at the doors fearing the girl would return before she wanted her to and the others took far too long to get ready for anything, including riding. Finally they emerged from their rooms.

"I suppose you've all met the Lady Belle," Rumple inquired of Snow as he rode beside her.

"Oh, yes Papa."

"Then tell me, why does Mother not wish for us to meet?"

"I don't know Papa. She's a lovely woman, very friendly, very intelligent and I do wish you could meet her."

"If my mother is grooming her to be my next kadin I'd rather not," the sultan said bitterly.

"Oh, Papa! Not every woman is like Cora or Milah. You will love again," Snow said confidently.

"I'm not looking for love anymore, dearie. I'm a difficult man to love."

"Because you haven't been with the right woman to show you what true love is."

"And is this what you feel you have with David? True love?"

"I do, Papa, I do," the girl replied with a smile.

He sighed. "Then I'll be losing one of my girls."

"No, you'll just be gaining a son-in-law."

"He is a good boy but if he hurts you, he'd best run and hide. All right, dearies, let's stop here and eat our lunch," he instructed the girls while the servants set up a small picnic area for them.

The sultan and his daughters were already gone from the palace when Belle returned. She still didn't understand what the valide's reasons for forbidding her to see the sultan yet were but didn't dare question it again for the valide had the power to toss her out onto the streets if she so chose. Only he could overrule her.

I must find a way to speak to the sultan or at least see him! she thought. She enjoyed spending time with the sultan's daughters but the valide made her uneasy. She was being watched at all times by members of the valide's personal guard though she wasn't sure what for and the valide constantly kept her busy. She suspected it had something to do with her father and Jafar. She didn't mind having no contact with Jafar but being isolated from her father as well was difficult.

"Come, it is time for your lessons in our court's protocols," the valide commanded. Belle could hear the sultan's voice in the hallway as well as those of his daughters.

"But...my lady valide...should I not be here to greet the sultan?"

"It is not time yet," the valide answered and motioned for the guards to escort the girl out of the room just as the sultan and his daughters walked in. "Did you all have a good day with your papa?" she asked them.

"We are to have a wedding, Mother," the sultan announced.

"Oh? Who?" the valide inquired.

"Snow and David...and possibly Aurora and Philip."

"This is wonderful news!" the valide exclaimed. "We must have a ball to celebrate!"

"And we will...the grandest ball in Azarajan! Invite whomever you wish dearies," he informed his daughters. "And...our guests from Avonlea and Agrabah will be in attendance," he said giving his mother a look that left no room for argument. "Now where is Lady Belle?" he demanded.

"She is not in the palace at the moment," the valide lied.

"I mean it Mother...this had better not be one of your schemes. Either that girl shows up at the ball or you and I are going to have a long discussion about just who rules this country!" he threatened and stormed out.

The valide sank down in her chair, pressing her hand to her heart.

"What's going on? Why are you keeping Belle from seeing Papa. Is he right? Do you have her in mind to be his kadin?" Snow demanded of the valide.

"Yes. But not for the reasons he thinks. You've all lived here with me long enough that you should know there is one thing besides an heir that I want more for your father."

"He needs love," Aurora said softly. "He has it with all of us he thinks of as his children but it's not enough."

"No darling it is not and I'm to blame for his heart turning cold," the valide wept. "I...I should've just used those potions on those awful brides of his...not him."

Aurora kneeled by the valide's side and patted her hand. "Is there a way to reverse it?"

"Yes," Regina said from the doorway. "Forgive me for disturbing you my lady valide but I have found something in one of my texts that may give us hope."

"What have you learned?" the valide demanded.

"This particular potion affects the psyche of the victim more than the body. If the sultan finds a woman he desires and his desire is reciprocated, it could reverse the potion."

"Oh...if Papa meets Belle and falls in love with her and she loves him...he'll be happy again!" Aurora cried.

"We have to get them together!" Ruby declared.

"That's the tricky part, dears," the valide reminded them. "Your father is more jaded than before and suspects plots everywhere. This must be done delicately. I have been trying to keep them apart to make them curious about each other but it is making your father more cross with me. He wants her at the ball."

"We'll help you!" they vowed.

The valide smiled. They were clever ones indeed, these young girls she now considered her granddaughters and together they could succeed where she'd failed on her own before.

The next day word was sent throughout the country that a grand ball to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of Snow and David and the betrothal of Aurora and Phillip would be held at the end of the week. People of all classes were invited to attend, something that did not sit well with the exiles from Avonlea and Agrabah.

"Nobles and commoners treating each other as equals? Confounding!" Jafar raged, throwing his goblet of wine against the wall. "The sultan is a fool!"

"A fool commoner who rose to the rank of royalty." Maurice reminded him.

"Through his mother's work on her back...or her knees!" Jafar sneered. "This is the opportunity we need to make use of your daughter."

"Madeline says the sultan is angry with his mother for not allowing him to see her."

Jafar smiled wickedly. "Well...this could work to our advantage."

"How so?"

"Why, when the sultan has lost everything he will place the blame exactly where he did before...at the feet of the valide. Without his support she'll no longer have a leg to stand on and we'll be rid of both of them soon enough."

They were both required to attend the ball and they would, to watch the beginning of the valide's undoing.

Although the ball was being held in their honor, Snow and Aurora were also working to make it special for their father and their friend. Aurora and the servant Ashley were busy making new outfits for the sultan and Belle while Snow and Ruby taught Belle all of their land's dances. She was still struggling with them and the girls' toes ached badly from all the times she stepped on them but they knew once she met their father and saw for herself how kind and gentle he could be, she would grow to love him as they did and his age would not matter.

The day of the ball Aurora visited her father in his chambers holding a box in her hands.

"What is this?" he asked softly.

"I've decided to make a new outfit for you to wear tonight. It's made from the finest Azarajan satin," Aurora explained. The sultan smiled and opened the box to see a black satin tunic and pants with gold thread trim and new leather boots.

"It's beautiful, my sweetheart!" he said and kissed her. "I'll wear it proudly. And have you made yourself a gown that your Phillip will like?"

"Ashley made it for me."

"I'll be looking forward to seeing you in it then...even if it is to celebrate you getting married," he said sadly.

"Oh, Papa I won't stop being your daughter after I am a bride."

The sultan embraced her.

Later that evening she and the other girls presented their gift to Belle. Hers was a gown made of gold satin.

"It's beautiful!" she cried. "You shouldn't have...but thank you! Thank you all so much!"

The valide watched the girls prepare Belle for the ball, smiling to herself. They all agreed that she would not be presented to the sultan; rather they would let him seek her out.

Rumple entered the ballroom flanked by Jefferson and Graham, both of them in their formal dress uniforms. He spotted Jafar and Maruice standing together sipping wine while the other guests danced around them.

"I have asked the valide to bring your daughter to the ball tonight," Rumple informed Maurice.

"My Belle is quite beautiful and very intelligent, my liege. She will be an asset to your harem."

"I am not looking for another kadin if that is what you are hoping," Rumple said coldly.

"Oh no, my liege. I would never suggest..."

"No matter. Which brings me to another. I have given your offer a great deal of thought Jafar and I have no need of a royal vizier. Sultans tend to have...misfortunes around you."

"I can assure you my liege; all the stories told about me are false." Jafar protested.

"Nevertheless, you will serve as my ambassador in Agrabah and nothing more. And you will do the same in Avonlea Sir Maurice. Do I make myself clear? Come along Bae, Jefferson. I must see to my other guests."

Both men were seething and concealing it proved difficult. Keeping their minds focused on their plans, they flashed smiles at the sultan as he walked away.

"My lady...you look so beautiful!" Madeline cried when she saw Belle enter the ballroom and threw her arms around her young charge.

"Princess Aurora and Lady Ashley made it for me." Belle said softly. "Is Papa here?"

Madeline led her over to where Maurice and Jafar stood, both of them astounded by how beautiful she looked on this particular night. The sultan wouldn't be able to resist her...no man could. He had to be blind or a eunuch.

"Belle, my girl...I have missed you," Maurice murmured while he held her in his arms. "Have they been treating you well?"

"Yes, Papa. Everyone has been so kind to me, the sultan's daughters treat me like I am one of them...and the valide...has been kind enough to educate me in this land's customs. I have not met the sultan yet, however."

"He appears...preoccupied at the moment," Maurice said, glancing over to where the sultan was speaking to his daughters and their intended husbands.

"If you'll both excuse me, there is someone I must speak to," Jafar said and left the two of them alone.

"Would you care to dance, Sir Maurice?"

Maurice was stunned when he saw the valide standing behind him. What was that woman up to now? The thought of dancing with her nauseated him yet they needed to keep up appearances for the sake of their plan.

"Belle?"

"You go on, Papa. We can dance when you return," she said softly. "My lady valide," she added and bowed. The valide smiled at the girl and allowed her father to lead her out to the dance floor. Out of the corner of her eye she could see her son standing in front of his table with his back to them. She nodded to Aurora and Snow.

"It looks as if the valide has found a dance partner tonight, Papa," Snow said on cue.

"Oh?" Rumple asked and turned around. Indeed the valide was dancing with Maurice. He smirked. She was using one of her oldest tricks...her charms to get the other man to spill his secrets. It had worked well when she was orchestrating his rise to the throne. His hand froze before he could bring his goblet of wine to his lips as his eyes spotted a beautiful auburn haired woman in a gown as golden as the sun itself standing in a corner in the room with dozens of couples dancing around her. Why was this lovely creature not dancing? He set the goblet down on the table and walked over to her.

"What is your name, my lady?" he asked softly.

"M...My liege!" she cried nervously and attempted to bow only the heel of her slipper caught on the lace of her long petticoat and she stumbled forward, the sultan catching her in his arms before she fell to the floor, his brown eyes met blue ones as bright as the sapphires in the scepter he only held for formal events. "I...I'm so sorry..." the girl stammered.

"It's no matter," he said. "Why are you not dancing?"

"These dances, I'm afraid I do not know them very well." she answered.

"And you still haven't answered my first question. Will you tell me your name, my lady or shall I feel offended that you deem me unworthy of knowing it by refusing to speak it?" he said, his voice strangely calm when any other time he would be outraged by such a slight. Damn his mother and her cursed potions!

"It...it's Belle..." the girl stammered and kneeled properly. "Please forgive my ignorance, my liege. It...It's just that you startled me."

"Ah, the mysterious former princess of Avonlea. We meet at last. Were you afraid I would turn into a fire breathing dragon?" he teased.

She laughed. "No, my liege."

"My mother, the valide seemed rather determined to keep us from meeting. I am curious as to why," he murmured, taking her hand and helping her to her feet.

"I don't know, my liege," she answered honestly. "But I am glad we've finally gotten the chance to meet."

She was without a doubt the loveliest woman he'd ever seen. Her being the daughter of one of his former rivals mattered little. He bowed and held out his hand. "Would you like to dance, Lady Belle?"

"I...I don't want to embarrass you.."

"Nonsense. I am not much of a dancer either," he confessed. She took his hand and he led her into the center of the room. The other couples stopped dancing and gathered around them. It had been a long time since they'd seen their sultan with a dance partner and the young woman on his arm was stunning. "Play!" he instructed the musicians. Some of the people in the crowd gathered around them were curious to see what this dance brought about for different reasons. Jafar and Maurice saw the young girl as the key to destroying the sultan and his scheming mother; the valide and the sultan's friends and family saw this as another chance for him to find the happiness he craved.

"Ouch..." Belle cried when the sultan accidently stepped on her toes after she'd stepped on his.

"I told you I was not much of a dancer," the sultan chuckled and grimaced when he felt Belle's foot on his toes again, making her laugh.

"Neither of us will be able to walk after this!" she exclaimed. "Are you doing this on purpose, my liege?" she asked, her toes once again being assaulted by his foot.

"Now would I do such a thing?"

"I believe you would to make me feel better."

"I truly am a terrible dancer. I would much prefer to take a walk in the gardens...if you would care to join me," he invited.

"I'd love to," Belle said softly, linking her arm through his. The sultan glanced over at Jefferson and motioned for him and Graham to follow them.

Belle found the sultan to be very charming and handsome although he was around the same age as her father, nothing like the beast others considered him to be.

"How are you liking my country, Lady Belle?" he asked her.

"It is quite different from Avonlea, my liege but everyone has been kind to me since my arrival and I thank you for that."

"I've been told you are intelligent."

"I do like to read and can speak several languages. I am now learning Azarajan. I sing on occasion and play the piano...but as you know I am a terrible dancer."

"Do you spin or weave?"

"No,, not very well, my liege but I am told you are still known as the best spinner and weaver in all of Azarajan."

"Does it bother you that I, a mere commoner, am now the ruler of a country while you were born into the nobility?" he asked with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Oh, no! Not at all," she said soothingly. "I feel it takes so much more to be a ruler than just being born into it. And I'm afraid that although I was my father's daughter, my husband would rule, not I."

"I am told you were once betrothed. What became of him?"

"I haven't seen him since the army came here to fight your own forces, my liege," she replied. "Either he has returned to Avonlea or he is now a prisoner here."

"What was his name?"

"Gaston."

"Ahh, that arrogant sod," the sultan muttered. "He is indeed imprisoned in what is called the Dark Castle. And I suppose you'll be wanting me to release him. Isn't that why you're being so kind to me?" he demanded sarcastically.

"Why do you believe me capable of something so cruel?" she asked, stunned.

"Have you forgotten that my two previous kadins lost their heads on the block for attempting to work their charms on me? I will not be deceived by another woman again, no matter how beautiful she may be! Good night, Lady Belle. I expect we will not be seeing one another again!" he raged and spun on his heel, leaving her staring after him, seeing for the first time that he could very well be the beast everyone made him sound like.


	4. She Made a Date With Destiny

The valide and the sultan's daughters knew something was wrong when Rumple stomped into the ballroom in a rage. He walked over to where Maurice was standing with Jafar and shook his finger in the man's face.

"The next time you want to make demands on me, you make them in person, don't send your daughter to do your work for you!" he shouted. "Gaston stays in the Dark Castle and that is my final word on it...and you...and you," he snarled at Jafar. "I want you both out of this palace and out of Azarajan before dawn!"

"My liege, we've made no demands on..." Maurice protested.

"Silence!" Rumple barked. "You forget whom you're speaking to. One more word out of you and you'll be joining Gaston in the Dark Castle in irons!"

"Stop!"

All heads turned to see Belle in the ballroom entryway. The sultan glared at her as she approached him, her expression as dark as his. "You cannot accuse my father of plotting against you when you have no proof!"

A collective gasp went through the crowd. This slip of a girl was daring to question the sultan. Was she mad? He would see her on the block before the night's end unless she somehow managed to get through to him and he rarely saw reason when he was in one of his tempers. The valide and the sultan's daughters moved to the front of the crowd to watch the exchange with interest. This would prove to them if Belle was the right choice to be the sultan's next and only kadin.

"Oh, don't I?" the sultan challenged.

"No, my liege, you do not," Belle responded. "All you have are your suspicions, which are unfounded. You cannot try and convict my father without proof."

"Have you forgotten that I am the sultan, dearie? I can amend the laws as I see fit! Perhaps you'd like to join your father in the Dark Castle...hmmm?"

"Imprisoning me and my father without any evidence of a plot would show the people that you are as much of a beast as your predecessor was, my liege," Belle argued. "And that is something you have avoided doing throughout your reign."

"Don't presume to know me. You don't!" he snarled. "And I will not tolerate such insolence from one of my subjects!"

"I am not being insolent, I am being rational. Which you are not at the moment."

"Oh I am being perfectly rational, dearie," he seethed. "And you are naive if you think anyone in this court is an innocent!"

Jafar concealed his delight behind a mask of stoicism. Clearly he'd underestimated the girl. She was clever, but not clever enough to realize she was playing right into their hands with her attempts to convince the sultan of their innocence. Maurice, however could not disguise his delight, seeing for the first time just how wrong he'd been about a woman's ability to rule a country. His daughter was matching wits against the beast of a sultan of Azarajan and she was winning!

From her own place in the crowd, the valide was also smiling. It had been so long since her son was in the presence of someone who could match wits with him as best as she could. She was also proving that she was strong enough to tame him even when he was at his worst. For a minute or two the sultan and the former princess stood face to face with their eyes locked, engaging in a silent battle of wills.

The sultan's daughters were furious with their father for letting his temper get the best of him and possibly alienate the only woman they felt deserving of being his kadin. They were not in love yet, that would come with time unless he succeeded in driving her away.

"Don't presume to know me, my liege. I am not as naive as you believe me to be," Belle finally said, breaking the tense silence between them. "I am well aware that there are plots in this court but I am not part of one nor will I be! No one decides my fate but me!"

"Not as long as you are in my harem, dearie," the sultan retorted, circling around her. "So that I can be certain there will be no plots made, I have decided that your father and your former lady-in-waiting are to return to Avonlea in the morning and you will have no further contact with them," Rumple declared and started to walk away.

"No, wait. I can offer you another solution." she said. He turned around.

"Oh, and what is that dearie?"

She stepped up to him and looked into his eyes. "I will marry you. In exchange my father and the lady Madeline will remain here."

The crowd gasped again.

"I am not looking for another kadin," the sultan said stiffly. "And were I, I would not choose you."

"You don't think I can love you?"

"I'm not looking for love."

"I will marry you and if by the end of our fifth year of marriage we do not love each other or I have not born you an heir, you may exile me, my father and the lady Madeline anywhere you see fit," she proposed. "As your future kadin, I can assure you that there will be no plots against you by me or mine."

The sultan thought for a moment. The girl was brave, insane, or both. Surely she'd heard the stories about his condition and saw how fierce his temper could get yet she still wanted to marry him? He told himself it was only because she wanted to be close to her father not because she thought they could learn to love each other. Neither of his previous kadins loved him, why would she be any different? And she could have any man she wished, not an old, impotent sultan.

"I haven't agreed to this," he reminded her.

"Then perhaps we should discuss it further...in private?" she suggested.

"Very well. If you will excuse us," he said to the assembled group and led her down the hall to the grand library. Once the door was closed behind them he turned to her, glaring. "Have you lost your wits, girl? How dare you take me to task before my entire court!?" he yelled.

"You began it by accusing my father of plotting against you!"

"Do you honestly expect me to agree to this farce you are proposing?"

"Yes I do," she answered bravely.

"Why?"

"Because I believe I can make you happy."

"Need I remind you, again, that I am not looking for love."

"Yes you are," she said softly. "You didn't have love with either of your previous wives so you lash out at everyone who tries to get close to you and your people will start to fear you as they did Zozo," she added.

"I won't be like him!" he growled.

She reached out and took his hands in hers. "Then let me help you prove it. Accept my proposal."

He smiled. "You are without a doubt, the most intriguing and maddening woman I've ever met and had your father not been such a fool, he should have changed the laws and named you his heir. Tell me Belle, as queen if you were faced with the same situation he was, entering into a peace treaty with me or forming an alliance with Agrabah to wage war against me: what would you have chosen to do?"

"I would have dispatched a messenger here with a request for the two of us to meet to discuss a peaceful solution first," she replied. "I was told that you attempted the same."

"My reply was my messenger sent back to me...dead," the sultan said angrily. "Leaving four children without a father and a wife without a husband. After that I saw no other option but to use force. I am sorry Belle but I cannot trust your father and I trust Jafar even less. That man is plotting something and will use anyone to achieve his goals. That is part of the reason why I prefer that you stay here. You are safer in my harem."

"If you must exile someone, let it be Jafar. My father is a good man," Belle insisted.

"If I exile Jafar and your father stays here you no longer have a reason to marry me," he said with a hint of sadness in his voice. They barely knew each other but he was fascinated by her.

"My liege, my only desire is to be a good wife to you and make you happy," she said.

"Rumple," he corrected.

"My liege?"

"My name is Rumple. There should be no formalities between a husband and wife. I will call you Belle and you will call me Rumple."

"You are accepting my proposal?"

"I may be mad for doing so but yes, I accept. Come, we must make a formal announcement to our court." He linked his arm through hers and escorted her back into the ballroom. All eyes were immediately upon them when they entered. "I have made my decisions," he announced, focusing his cold gaze on Jafar. "You will leave court immediately and return to Agrabah. Do not think to plot against me from afar. You will be watched."

"My liege, I have no intention of..."

"Remove him!" Rumple instructed his guards. The former royal vizier glared daggers at him while he was being led out of the room. He approached Maurice and Madeline. "You will remain here at court but take heed, you will also be watched and if word reaches me that you also are involved in any plots, you will be punished as I see fit. Is that clear?" he demanded.

"Yes, my liege," they answered in unison.

"Now, then in one weeks' time the Lady Belle and I will marry and from that day you all will address her as the Haseki Sultan Belle," he informed the court. Maurice wanted to protest but didn't dare invoke the sultan's wrath.

"This is wonderful news!" the valide exclaimed, stepping forward and taking Belle's hand in hers, kissing her cheek. "You will make my son very happy, my dear child."

"That is my only desire, my lady valide," Belle said softly.

The sultan's daughters rushed over to them, congratulating the couple and taking turns embracing each of them while the valide approached Maurice. "There are some delicate matters we must discuss before the wedding," she informed him.

"Yes, my lady valide."

"Go on, Mother. My bride and I will see to our guests."

Once they were alone in her chambers the valide turned to Maurice with a smirk on her lips.

"Did you or that viper think you could best me at my own game?" the valide demanded. "I've been wise to your scheme from the moment you brought your daughter to our court. You think to use her to weaken my son but he is much stronger than you anticipated, is he not and she is more clever than you give her credit for. She will win my son's heart and bear him an heir and in turn she will be at last given a position of power in a kingdom as she is deserving of! And if you make any attempts to threaten my son, who do you think your daughter will give her loyalty to? My son!"

"My lady valide, I am not part of any plot."

"We shall see. And to avoid any question of the legitimacy of any children your daughter bears, I shall require proof of her innocence."

"P...Proof? Surely you don't mean..?"

"I do."

"She is intact!"

"Again, we shall see. Lancelot, return Sir Maurice to his lodgings!"

The valide was enjoying her tea when her chamber doors flew open and her son walked in, enraged. "Tell me you have not already followed through with this!" he exclaimed.

"With what?"

"Don't play coy with me, Mother! A physical examination!? I will not have it!"

"We must be certain Rumple. I will not have another of your kadins staining the nuptial sheets with pigs' blood again as proof of her innocence!"

"I will not oppose it if she is willing to do this, not if you force her hand. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Rumple I do. You must learn to have better control over your temper, darling."

"Don't you think I KNOW that!" he cried. "I do try but I am exhausted from the plotting and scheming in this kingdom that I barely sleep at night! I am to be married in a week to a beautiful woman I may not be able to respond to and I need an heir but I may never sire one! And you complain about my temperament?! Good Gods woman, do you see what your schemes have done to me!" He lay down on a chaise and covered his eyes with his arm.

"I know...and there is not a day that goes by now that I do not regret only giving the potions to your kadins," the valide said sadly. "You need rest, darling. Shall I give you one of my..."

"No! No more potions! I will sleep on my own or I will not sleep at all!"

"I will go and speak to your bride. Get some rest, darling." She leaned down and kissed his forehead. As she was leaving, Bae walked into the room to stand guard while the sultan tried to rest though Bae knew it was difficult.

"Leave us," the valide commanded as soon as she arrived at the girls' chambers with the midwife Johanna. The girls smiled at Belle as they departed. The young girl remained on her knees. "You may rise now, Belle." The young woman stood up. "My son has been deceived far too many times by the women in this harem and I will not allow it to happen again. Your father claims your maidenhead remains intact and this must be confirmed."

"Yes, my lady valide."

"Then you will consent to a physical examination by the lady Johanna?"

"Yes, my lady valide. I want my husband to have no doubts about my innocence."

"I will make this as comfortable as possible for you my lady," the midwife assured her. "You may sit up now dear," Johanna said softly after she'd finished.

"Well?" the valide demanded. "Is she intact?"

"Yes, my lady valide."

"Excellent. I will inform the sultan."

"Thank you my lady valide."

"How long is this going to take?" Rumple demanded impatiently while he attempted to rest in his mother's chambers. "How long is it supposed to take?"

"I don't know, Papa," Bae answered. Several minutes later the door opened and the valide entered. She smiled at her son.

"Your bride is indeed still a maid," she declared.

"I had no doubt of it."

"We couldn't take the chance she was not, Rumple. If she is to conceive your heir she must know no other man's touch but yours."

"Where is she?"

"She is in the harem resting."

"Mother!" he protested.

"You will get to spend plenty of time with her once you are wed," his mother reminded him. "And you must rest as well."

"I don't approve of this...isolating her from everyone in my court but me and the harem. The girl will grow to resent me for limiting her freedom."

"Your court is full of plotters and schemers who would attempt to manipulate the girl."

"You having taught them all well enough!" he retorted.

"Were it not for me you'd still be living in a shack in the village spinning wool for a few coins!" she spat. "Never forget that."

"And I am still the sultan and can send you to the block if I choose. Never forget that, Mother." the sultan said icily, rising from the chaise and storming out.

The rest of the week the sultan's daughters and the valide kept Belle busy preparing for the wedding. While they were discussing the design of her wedding gown the valide walked into the room carrying a book with a red velvet cover. Belle's mouth formed a wide O as she gazed upon it and her cheeks flushed. She'd read about the famed volume in other books but never dared to read it herself or any other books like it.

"Is that...?" Snow gasped.

"The Garden of Delights," the valide affirmed. "Azarajan tradition dictates that a copy must be given to every virgin bride before her nuptials," she went on. "And it is meant to be read by a husband and wife together." She handed the book to Belle. "I must ask that you do not open it until after you are wed no matter how curious you may be. Will you do that for me?"

"Yes, my lady valide."

"Wonderful. Would you all excuse us please," the valide asked the girls. "Belle, I know you have heard stories of my…difficulties with my son's previous two kadins."

"I have," Belle answered honestly.

"All I have ever wanted, whether my son wishes to admit it or not, is his happiness. It is true I have plotted and schemed to get my son this throne and I am not ashamed of it but one of my schemes has harmed him greatly and I wish I could take it back but I cannot." She scowled. "I have no doubt that word of my son's…condition has gone beyond this kingdom thanks to those whores Cora and Milah so do not insult my intelligence by denying you know what I am speaking of."

"I wouldn't dare my lady valide. But how can I bear the sultan an heir if he…he cannot make love to me?"

She smiled. "It is my hope that in time he can." She took Belle's hands in hers. "You believe you can love my son and I believe your love is what is needed to make him a man again. That is why I have dedicated so many of my efforts to make you more appealing to him."

"You've had me in mind to be his kadin from the moment we met?"

The valide smiled again. "Belle, were you Valide Sultan, would you do the same?"

"The choice would be my son's but if I believed the woman in question worthy of his heart then yes, I would," she admitted. "But make no mistake, my lady valide: if you attempt to cause contention between the sultan and me, you will find me to be a very formidable opponent."

The valide laughed. "I am expecting no less."

Jafar leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hands together with delight. "This is a sudden yet not unfortunate turn of events."

"How? This is not how we planned it!" Hook raged.

"Perhaps not but it did have the desired results. Patience, pirate. You will have your revenge...as will I."

"When?!"

"Let him fall in love with the girl first. Then, his pain will be unbearable when she is taken from him. What you do with her from there is your choice."

"I want him to watch her die...just like he forced me to watch Milah!" Hook sneered. Imagining the sultan's torment brought a smile to his own lips.


	5. He Was Enchanted On Their Wedding Night

It was dawn on his wedding day and Rumplestiltskin, the sultan of Azarajan, was uneasy. He paced the floor of his chambers in his nightshirt, having slept very little that night. He feared that someone would come to him and tell him that Belle had changed her mind and she no longer wished to marry him.

And why should it surprise you? What woman would want a man who cannot even make love to her?

Word reached him through one of his daughters that valide had given Belle a copy of The Garden of Delights and this only added to his discomfort. He was well aware of what was in that damned book, everyone in seven kingdoms knew what was in that damned book and put it into practice including the two whores he'd married before. He'd even looked at it once or twice since being given the potion and the art and text within it did not have the effect it should have when he looked at it before. He pondered making a royal decree to have every copy of the thing burned only he didn't want to deny other lovers the pleasure of seeing its beautifully sensual artwork and the poetic text.

When Thomas entered the chamber to awaken the sultan he was not surprised to see him already awake. He was also aware of the sultan's insomnia and for several years as were a select group of people and how to cure it. It had been the valide herself who educated Rumple's trusted circle with the remedy she used to help her son fall asleep. None of them were shocked by it. They knew their sultan loved his books as much as he loved his family. Night after night, he lay in bed and listened to someone reading from a book in his library. It was not easy for them to stay awake themselves which was why he trusted so few people with his secret.

"Shall I have your usual breakfast brought in, my liege?" he asked.

Rumple sighed. "I suppose." He sat down at the table while Thomas brought in the tray carrying his breakfast; egg on bread, pancakes with syrup and a glass of juice. He set them in front of the sultan who merely stared at them. Thomas pulled the vacant chair on the opposite end of the table out and sat down. Any other royal would have screamed at him for taking such liberties but not Rumple. He dined with anyone, regardless of class.

"What is troubling you?"

Rumple sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I should never have agreed to this marriage. I cannot be a proper husband to someone as beautiful as she is...she deserves to have a real man in her bed!"

"I do not know the lady well but I have heard that she has a good heart and it will not matter to her whether you can satisfy her physically or not. Some women do not even enjoy bedsport I am told."

"Yes and they've dedicated their bodies and souls to serving the will of the goddess. Belle is not one of those women. There is a passion in her that any man would give a kingdom to possess!"

"She chose you."

"To keep her father and lady at her side, nothing more."

"Were you not listening to her? She wants to love you but you won't let her, will you? My liege, I beg of you, do not throw away this chance at happiness she is offering you."

Other royals would have also been shocked to see a mere servant speak to his sultan in such a brazen manner but they never did so in public, only in private and it was only out of concern for the man who treated them all like family.

"I should have expected this!" Bae said angrily from the doorway. "Papa, you are not going to do this. I won't allow it. I'll tie you to the altar if I must but you are getting married today! And you will eat everything on that plate. We won't have you fainting from malnourishment."

The sultan chuckled. "I seem to recall having to tell you that quite often. I also recall you trying to feed some of it to the dogs thinking I did not notice."

"Never could put anything past you. You had eyes in the back of your head."

"Every parent does," the sultan said with a smirk and gestured to the other unoccupied chair at his table. Thomas rose from his and hurried down to the kitchens to bring back more of the breakfast menu as he was certain Jefferson and Graham would join them once they awoke. By the time he returned to the sultan's chambers they were already there. Spending the morning with them eased the sultan's mind a bit, however his uneasiness returned when the bells in the holy temple rang and it took all of them threatening to take him bound and gagged to the altar to motivate him to even get dressed. When he finally emerged from his chambers flanked by his most trusted guards he was wearing his formal blue silk robes with gold trim and matching slippers and the ceremonial crown that felt more like a boulder on his head. The Heseki Sultan's crown would be placed on Belle's head at the conclusion of the ceremony.

In her own chambers at the opposite end of the castle, Belle also had a restless night. In less than three hours she would be the bride of the sultan of Azarajan by her own request. She'd always had a sense about people and she was starting to see that the sultan had a good heart that only needed to be loved to cure the beast inside him. She was well aware there was a possibility they could never consummate their union yet she believed as the valide did that her love would be enough to help him reverse his condition. In the few conversations they had, she also learned that she and her new husband had similar ideals. She wanted their marriage to be the complete opposite of her parents' with more intimacy, respect and honesty.

The sultan's daughters burst into her chambers an hour later, all of them talking at once about how excited they were over her being their father's new bride and how happy she could make him. She was even more touched when they presented her with a gift they made together: a wedding gown of blue silk and gold trimming that would match the sultan's formal robes perfectly.

"We also made you these," Snow said proudly and opened another box that contained some of the sheerest nightgowns she'd ever owned. Belle blushed.

"Has he kissed you yet?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"We haven't seen each other since our betrothal," Belle reminded her.

"But he's held you in his arms," Aurora pointed out. "When Phillip holds me...I feel like I'm floating on air."

"So do I when I'm with David," Snow murmured dreamily.

"Oh, what mush!" Emma muttered as she walked into the room. "Now when Bae cornered me in the back of the stables...my gods...that man is a stallion and built like one!"

"Emma!" the valide admonished.

"What? Surely you haven't told them the bed is the only place to enjoy a man. Read The Garden of Delights."

"It isn't?" Snow asked.

"Believe me, it can happen anywhere...at any time," Emma informed them, smiling wickedly.

"Emma!" the valide warned. "You've been in the company of men too long that you act more like one!"

"So does Mulan and you don't yell at her!"

"Mulan does not come in here and fill my girls' ears with lurid details of her sexual escapades with the sultan's captain of the guards!"

Belle giggled. She'd never met this female warrior before and knew immediately that she liked her, even if she was bold.

"Well I think the sultan's future kadin would rather hear facts than mush."

"Not from you she won't! And you and Bae should have done the decent thing and wed before you started rutting all over this kingdom! Flaunt it before the sultan much longer and you'll find yourselves before the high priestess whether you want to or not!"

Belle giggled. "Why have I not met you before, Emma?"

"Been busy..." she answered.

The other girls tittered. "Oh, not just doing that! We're on the hunt for that troublemaking pirate that was plotting to overthrow Rumple with that bitch Milah. We'll find him and believe me, he'll be begging to go on the block when we're done with him!" she vowed. "Then there's Jafar."

"Have you any leads on Jones, Emma?"

"Nothing yet my lady valide but we've got ears in every tavern and brothel in Azarajan and beyond. Jafar seems to be behaving himself...for now."

"I am hoping we can get to know each other better Emma," Belle said softly.

"I would like that too, my lady sultana."

"Sultana?"

"Your official title is the Haseki Sultan Belle but your informal title is my lady sultana as mine is my lady valide," the valide explained. "Come, it is time."

Belle was stunned when she looked out the windows of the caravan during their journey to the Temple of Selene and saw thousands of people gathered on the streets to catch a glimpse of the young woman who would become the sultan's third kadin in ten years and all of them cheered as she stepped out of the caravan with Emma and Mulan at her side and the sultan's daughters behind her.

Rumple's breath caught in his throat when he glanced over to the doorway and saw his young bride standing there on her father's arm in a blue and gold silk gown that matched his robes, unable to believe that in less than two hours she would be his and he'd spent most of the morning kneeling at the altar of the goddess praying that she would be his only wife for the rest of his days.

He's as nervous as I am, Belle thought as they stood face to face now at the altar, her hands in his. They kneeled together at the foot of the statue of Selene and bowed their heads as the high priestess began the opening prayer, asking the goddess to bestow her blessings on the couple before her.

Twice before Rumple kneeled on that very altar and spoke his vows to his bride, the goddess and the guests that he would love and respect his Haseki Sultan according to the teachings of the goddess from that day and the rest to follow and he'd tried, oh how he tried to honor those vows until both women no longer gave him reason to. He wanted to believe this time would be different. He raised his head, his eyes meeting his bride's and for the third time he repeated his vows, awaiting her to do the same.

"If you'll please excuse me...I'd like to speak my own vows," Belle said softly, causing the crowd to gasp. No one had ever dared to alter a traditional Azarajan wedding ceremony. The sultan frowned, wondering what kind of game she was playing. She smiled and raised their joined hands.

"I vow to you, Rumplestiltskin, before the goddess and this company, that I will be your comfort during the difficult times and share the joyful ones with you. I will be there to listen when your mind is troubled and offer you advice and counsel. I will give you as many children as you desire and I will give you my love and strive to earn yours in return. I will allow no other man or woman to come between us for this union, only the goddess herself can undo." She held his gaze as she spoke and with every word she restored the sultan's faith that he could love again and have the child he wanted. He found himself smiling. The couple closed their eyes and bowed their heads again as the high priestess gave the closing prayer.

Rumple rose to his feet and helped Belle back onto hers. The valide approached them with the Haseki Sultan's crown and scepter on a satin pillow. Rumple took it in his hands and held it above his wife's head. "I Rumplestiltskin, Sultan of Azarajan, crown you my Haseki Sultan Belle!" he announced and placed the smaller crown on her head. The valide handed her the scepter. There was thunderous applause and cheering when the couple faced the crowd for the first time as husband and wife.

The sultan's guards immediately moved into position behind the couple while they walked out of the temple into the coach that would take them back to the palace for the wedding feast.

"I am confused Rumple. Why did we not kiss as couples do in a wedding ceremony?" Belle inquired of her husband.

"Do they kiss in Avonlea?"

"Yes."

"Here we do not. Displays of affection between couples is strictly for the bedchamber, not in public." he answered.

"Oh," she said disappointed. "Why is that?"

"It has been the law since before I was born."

"You are the sultan. Can you not change it?"

He groaned. "Belle, I do not want us to quarrel on our wedding day!"

"I am not quarrelling. I'm merely asking what the harm is in couples showing affection for each other in public."

He scowled. "Because some do not have the common decency to limit it to only kissing, that's why. I will not have people groping and fornicating with each other in the streets like whores! It's disgraceful! And you say this behavior is permitted in Avonlea?"

"Well...they can kiss but there are laws against fornicating in public..."

"And how many couples have been brought before the magistrate for public indecency that you can you recall...hmmm?"

"More than a few."

"Precisely my point. They allowed their lust to overrule their common sense. I am not changing the law."

"Surely you don't punish people for kissing?"

"No, but if they are caught in other intimate acts that belong in the bedchamber, the punishment is one month's imprisonment," he said firmly, leaving no more room for argument "And I'd prefer to continue this discussion another time."

They passed the rest of the ride back to the palace in silence, Belle fearing that she'd already created a distance between them by voicing her opinion while he was wondering just how loose the morals of the people in Avonlea were and would have doubted her own innocence had Johanna not confirmed it. When they arrived at the palace, Belle took his hand in hers.

"I am sorry if I've upset you," she said.

"As am I if I have upset you. I tend to be a bit beastly when I feel strongly about a subject. But it's done now." He smiled. "Well, are you ready to do your first official duties as my kadin?"

She linked her arm through his and together they entered the grand ballroom, the majordomo announcing their arrival. They approached the valide and Maurice first, Belle throwing her arms around her father while the sultan kissed the valide's cheek.

"Belle, my girl...are you certain this is what you want?" Maurice whispered.

"I can make him happy, Papa. I know I can," she vowed.

"She will be a good wife to you Rumple," the valide assured her son.

"Don't make it difficult for her, Mother," he pleaded. He then turned to Maurice. "I would like there to be peace between us for my bride's sake."

"As do I, my liege."

Rumple still did not trust the man and were he not his bride's father, he would have exiled him. He glanced over at her. She was speaking with her lady-in-waiting and his historian Oliver. Something the woman said must have pleased his kadin greatly for she threw her arms around the older woman. He approached them.

"My liege," Madeline greeted and bowed. Oliver followed suit.

"May I ask, Oliver, what the lady Madeline has told my kadin that pleases her?"

"My liege, I would like to present my case at receiving tomorrow."

"And you shall. However, I suspect this is not a case you will be presenting me, rather a request to court the lady Madeline." the sultan said with a grin and shook his historian's hand. They talked with the couple for a few minutes then continued to circulate amongst their guests, the sultan pleased with his wife's ability to make all of them feel at ease in her presence unlike his previous wives or the valide.

As the evening drew to a close the sultan was now the one uneasy. Their wedding night would not be what his bride expected at all. Would she be relieved that her virtue would remain intact or disappointed? And how long would it be before she sought comfort elsewhere?

"Is something wrong?" Belle asked him while he was walking her back to the harem.

"No," he lied.

"Why are you taking me to the harem?"

"It's tradition. The valide will explain," he said. "You will be escorted to my bedchamber when the time comes." he said once they stood outside the harem doors. Belle held her breath, waiting for him to kiss her lips. Instead raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. She gave him a small smile though she was disappointed. She'd been kissed by Gaston quite often and felt nothing. Would it be the same when her husband kissed her? She hoped not. She did feel a slight tingling in her limbs when he kissed her hand. "Until tonight," he murmured and left.

The valide and the sultan's daughters were waiting for her in the sitting room. They all rose and bowed to her. "Please...there's no need to be formal in private," she said softly. "I...I was expecting to join my husband but he says this is...tradition?"

"It is," said the valide. "Every bride on her wedding night spends time with her closest female friends in preparation for the time when she is to join her husband. There is much to discuss."

"My lady valide, is she aware..." Aurora began.

"Yes, poppet, she is?"

"Do you still believe you can love our father knowing this, my lady sultana?" Snow inquired of Belle.

"I do," Belle replied. "There must be a way to reverse it but I fear he does not have hope of it for he will not even kiss me."

"Have you been kissed before, Belle?" the valide asked.

"Yes my lady valide and I found no pleasure in it. I know the sultan may be a bit reluctant because we do not know each other well...or it is because he has been hurt so much by his other wives but how can we find out if his condition can be reversed if he makes no effort to be intimate with me?"

"It will take time and patience my dear but you will melt the ice in his heart," the valide assured her.

Belle was nervous again as she entered the sultan's bedchamber later that night. She expected him to be lying on the bed waiting for her. Instead she found him sitting in a chair with a book in his hands.

"Rumple," she greeted.

"Ah, good evening Belle," he said as he took her hand, kissed it and lead her over to the chair beside his. "You may go. We won't be needing you," he said to the two servants who stood in the corner. They bowed and left the room. "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please," she replied. He poured two cups of tea and handed one to her. She took a small sip and went to set the cup back down on the table. Her hand was shaking so much the cup slipped out of her hands and fell to the floor. "Oh!" she cried and reached down to pick it up. "The cup...it's chipped." she stammered as she held it up to show the small chip on the rim. What would he do to her now? "Forgive me, Rumple..."

"It's just a cup, Belle," he said and took it from her hands and set it back on the table. "And it was an accident."

"But...aren't you going to...punish me?"

"For something as trivial as chipping a cup? No, I am not and I do not believe a man should ever strike a woman no matter how angry he is."

"D...Did Zozo strike your mother?"

"No. He knew she would have stabbed him in his sleep if he tried. It didn't matter. She did kill him in his sleep only it was with poison. He reserved his cruelty for others."

"Not you!"

"No, my kadin, not me. As I said, he feared my mother and knew that if he struck out at me, she would have killed him for it."

Belle breathed a sigh of relief while he poured her another cup of tea and handed it to her. They sipped it in silence, their eyes meeting often over the rims of their cups.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, there are other matters we need to discuss," he said. "One of your first duties will be setting up your own household and the appointments of your personal guards. I myself have two of them, Jefferson and Graham. Your personal guards may either be male or female as I have members of both sexes in my army because I see no reason why a woman cannot fight as well as a man and the women in my army have proven themselves time and again."

"That is one reason why I have enjoyed my time in this court. There are few opportunities for women in Avonlea. I was not even allowed to be queen in my own right."

"As my consort, you are welcome to voice your opinion on matters of state and when I am away or ill I may either appoint you or the valide regent. My mother, unfortunately has made some rather rash decisions while acting as regent that I'd like to avoid in the future."

"If I am regent, I will make my decisions for the good of the people."

"Excellent. As I said before, you will have your own bedchamber and..."

"Rumple, why must we sleep apart?"

He was stunned. "What?"

"I am your wife. Why should I not share your bed?"

"That's how it's done, dearie. Did your parents occupy the same bedchamber?"

"Umm...no...not that I could recall."

"Did they love each other?" the sultan inquired.

"I do not believe so," Belle confessed sadly. "Theirs was an arranged marriage. My mother was from one of the noble houses in Avonlea and my late grandparents made the match to ensure a truce between their house and ours."

"And your betrothal? Was it arranged?"

"Yes."

"Did you love him, Belle?"

"No."

"Then why did you agree to it?"

"I planned to end it...after the battle."

"I see. You still did not answer my question. Why did you agree to the betrothal if you did not love the man?"

"You may not be aware of it, Rumple but our kingdom is not as wealthy as it once was. Our fortunes have been squandered over the centuries, forcing us to depend on our own nobility to fill our coffers. Gaston's family's fortune would have saved our kingdom from poverty."

"There was no other recourse? What of trade agreements?"

"We had nothing to trade with other nations that they did not make or grow themselves," Belle replied. "I wanted to save my people."

"And you offered yourself to me to spare yourself and your father the pain of separation," he said bitterly. "You are too brave and too heroic for your own good. You deserve more than I can offer you."

"It was more than that. Even before we met I was...intrigued. You were once a simple wool spinner and weaver and though many credit the valide with your rise to power it was also your own intelligence and good heart that won the people over. The people who now live in your household are mostly orphans you've taken in either during progresses or from nations that you've conquered and they love you as a father. You treat everyone as equal, regardless of class. You may have occasional outbursts but underneath that is still a good man worthy of love. We do not know each other enough to be in love, but being each other's confidantes is a good place to start." She reached across the table and took his hand. "I would like our marriage to be based on three simple things: intimacy, honesty and respect."

He lowered his head, pondering the question of whether she knew of his condition. It would make intimacy between them difficult, but honesty and respect he could give her as long as she repaid him in kind.

"We will speak more of this in the morning. I would like to retire," he said and stood up and walked over to the bed, climbing in. "Will you join me?" he asked softly. She nodded and crawled in beside him so that they were facing each other, her heart being faster as she wondered what was to come. Would he kiss her at last? To her surprise he turned over and grabbed a book that was sitting on the table beside the bed, opening it.

"You want to read?" she asked.

"I would like you to read to me," he said. "It helps me sleep."

"You want me to...read to you?"

"You sound shocked."

"Well..ahh...when you said you wanted to retire I assumed that we would..." she blushed.

"Make love? And we will, just not tonight. We are not ready for that."

"But I am your wife and I am expected to..." she said, not wanting him to suspect that she already had knowledge of his condition.

"Expected to what? Lie still until I've done the deed and planted my seed in you?" he demanded angrily. "I'll only have a woman in my bed who desires me, not because she feels it is her duty!" He slammed the book shut and rose from the bed. "Return to your chambers. I no longer have need of your company tonight."

"Rumple, I didn't mean to offend you..." Belle cried.

"Were you not listening? I said return to your chambers!" he shouted.

"No!"

"What was that, dearie?" he asked coldly as he approached her, his dark eyes clashing with hers.

"You heard me. I said no," she answered bravely.

"You have the gall to disobey me, your sultan!" he growled.

"When you're acting like an ass I do," she retorted.

"Woman, have you forgotten how I disposed of my previous two wives? I could have you on the execution block within the hour," he threatened.

"Then you would be a fool," she retorted. "For in spite of your beastly temper, I would like to make this marriage between us work and not just for the sake of the heir I am expected to provide for you." She snatched the book out of his hands and crawled back onto the bed, patting the empty space beside her. "Do you still wish for me to read to you?"

"Why aren't you afraid of me when I'm like this?"

"I was at first," she admitted. "And I am aware of your...condition."

"How!? Who told you? My mother? Did she also tell you she was the one who caused it?" he asked, his voice rising again. "She did it to be certain that neither of my wives would bear my heir as she saw them a threat to her own power, but now I know...neither of them loved me enough to even want to give me a child."

"I still believe we'll come to love each other in time, Rumple," Belle said softly. "Come to bed and I'll read to you. Or I could tell you a story if you'd like," she suggested.

"And how does a former princess become a bard?" he asked, crawling into bed beside her and turning on his side to face her again, tucking his arm under the pillow.

"I don't know...I've always loved telling stories." she answered honestly. "Which would you prefer?"

He smiled. "I'm curious to see for myself if you are a gifted storyteller. Well then, my kadin, tell me your story."

Belle thought for a moment about which story she wanted to tell...she had so many of them that she made up over the years. She cleared her throat and began. "Have you ever heard the story of the boy who was never satisfied?"

Rumple shook his head.

"This boy was named Peter. He lived in a village far away with his mother and father. Because they were poor, everyone needed to do their fair share to keep their home thriving but Peter was a selfish, spoiled boy who did not like doing chores and would find any excuse not to do them and his parents, not wanting their son to be unhappy would let him out of doing them. He also would ask for the most outrageous things even when he knew his parents could not afford to give them to him and they would spend every penny they had to please the child but there were many times when the child was not pleased and would demand more. His greed knew no bounds, even at the dinner table were the food portions were barely enough to soothe the appetite. His parents were willing to sacrifice their own small portions so that their son would thrive and to silence his hurtful complaints."

Rumple scoffed. "Should've been grateful to get what he had, the brat," he muttered. "I never in my whole life even when we were at our poorest, ever asked for more than we could afford. I've interrupted you...go on please."

Belle smiled, pleased that her husband was enjoying the story. "As the boy grew older, so did his selfishness. He began stealing to fulfill his need for material possessions and one day while he was in the marketplace, he approached the table of an old peasant woman filled with some of the most beautiful objects. He was most interested in a large golden bowl. When he asked the woman the price for her bowl he was angry. It was more than he could afford, even through his thievery but he wanted the bowl for himself. When the woman turned her back, he stole the bowl and ran off into the woods, not knowing that this was no ordinary bowl and the woman was more than she appeared to be."

The sultan grinned. "Ahhh, I see...the woman was a sorceress and the bowl has an enchantment on it, does it not, my kadin?"

"Indeed it does. You see, this bowl was created with a more noble purpose in mind, to be used only by those deserving of it and if it fell into the wrong hands, it only caused discomfort."

"Oh? And what kind of discomfort?" he asked, giggling. Belle chuckled herself, not minding that he'd once again interrupted her and made her lose her train of thought.

"You are thinking of something in particular?" she inquired.

"Well, my mother once introduced one of her potions into the food of a rival and it had some...ummm...rather unpleasant side effects…only it was not vomiting."

"Oh!" Belle exclaimed as she realized what he was referring to. "She...she did not!"

The sultan giggled again. "She did...and this unfortunate woman did not make it to the house of easement in time. The stench carried into the dining hall and we all had to go outside for some fresh air."

"What did Zozo do?"

"Oh, he was amused by it as were we all because although many people disliked my mother, they liked her even less. She was particularly cruel to the peasants. Ousting her from the harem was the revenge my mother sought after she'd humiliated her in the marketplace."

"She didn't do anything to you, did she?"

"No. She didn't think I was worth the effort. But enough about that. Continue your story."

"At first the only discomfort the boy would feel was inside him, a sore stomach, much like one feels when overindulging at the table but over time the evidence of his greed and selfishness would show on the outside as well. When the people in his village saw him approach they would shun him and he sought out the old woman for help. She merely looked at him and told him that the only way he could cure himself was to learn how to give instead of take and share instead of keeping everything for himself. He died a lonely, miserable man but his wretched life served as a warning to others not to live as he did," Belle finished. When she looked down she noticed that the sultan was having difficulty keeping his eyes open. "Oh! Have I bored you?"

"No, my kadin, you did not. I have difficulty sleeping so I have someone read to me but most of the time they fall asleep before I do but your voice is soothing and I'm very relaxed. And the story was perfect...a bit of a cautionary tale on the dangers of greed and self-indulgence. Do all of your stories have a moral to them?"

"Some, yes. Once in while I would sneak out of the palace and tell them to children in poor villages."

"Without an escort? That is dangerous, Belle. I can imagine your father was quite upset."

"He was...but I wanted to reach out to people, especially the children."

"Then during our first progress together we will have you tell your tales for the children in the villages we visit. Does that please you?"

"Yes!" she cried, throwing her arms around him. She felt him tense. "Oh...I am sorry...I didn't mean to be so forward..."

He sighed. "It's no matter." He knew it would only be more awkward for them in the morning when she learned she would join him in the bath. "I am very tired now," he murmured and closed his eyes. "You…may return to your chambers if you wish."

"There's no need," she said softly but he was already asleep and minutes later she fell asleep beside him.


	6. Just a Captive Under Her Spell

The first rays of the morning sun shining through the sheer drapes in the sultan's bedchamber woke him from a deep sleep. He groaned, stunned when his face was not buried in his pillow and his hand not touching the mattress but flesh...satin and lace covered flesh! His eyes fluttered open and as his vision cleared, his anxiety only worsened when he realized his face was buried in his bride's breasts and his hand was resting on her hip. He jumped out of bed and ran out into the hall clad only in his nightshirt and feet bare, nearly colliding with Thomas as he was bringing him the breakfast tray.

"My liege! Are you hurt? Shall I call for Bae?"

"S…She's been in my bed...all night!" the sultan gasped.

Thomas chuckled. "It was your wedding night. Why is that a shock?"

"You idiot!" he cried. "You know damned well it wasn't much of a wedding night and neither of my previous wives stayed with me once the deed was done! When she suggested she share my bed I thought it was only until I fell asleep, not the whole damned night! What is she trying to do, drive me mad?!"

"No, what she is doing, and I am surprised to see that you have not realized it, is trying to prove to you that she is taking her vow to love you seriously."

"Rumple?" he heard her call from the bedchamber.

"Goddess's drawers!" he cursed. Thomas laughed again. The sultan was acting like a lad with his first woman and it was amusing because it appeared that the sultan was trying to act like their marriage would be in name only and doing a poor job of it. "Why the hell didn't she go back to her own chambers like I told her to? Do you know how I woke up this morning? Clinging to her like a desperate man with my head in her bosom. Her bosom! Goddess only knows what I was doing before I woke up! Stop that laughing or so help me I'll lock you in the Dark Castle for the rest of your days!" he yelled.

"No you won't," Thomas taunted with a smirk.

"Rumple?" Belle called out again.

"Won't I?" the sultan demanded angrily.

"No, you won't. Now get in there and talk to your bride!" Thomas ordered. Rumple glared at him. "Or do you want me to fetch Bae and have him drag you in there?" he threatened.

He growled. "I'll go but one word out of you and I will have you locked in the Dark Castle!"

Thomas shook his head and followed the sultan into the bedchamber. Belle was seated at the table. She smiled and rose to her feet, bowing to Rumple. "Good morning, Rumple," she greeted warmly. "I was a bit concerned when I awoke and found you gone."

"I went for a walk," he lied. "The morning air relaxes me."

She eyed him suspiciously. "In your nightshirt?"

Thomas turned his back and chuckled again.

"Yes," he muttered.

"Perhaps we could go together sometime," she suggested.

"Perhaps."

Thomas began serving them breakfast. Rumple looked down at his plate instead of meeting Belle's gaze and kept shoving food in his mouth so that he couldn't speak to her. Thomas sighed. The sultan was not going to make this easy for his new bride and he hoped it wouldn't drive her away.

A small smile formed on Belle's lips as she watched her husband attempt to avoid looking at her or speaking to her. He was obviously upset at the position he found himself in when he awoke. She'd awakened in the middle of the night to find her husband lying on top of her with his head resting between her breasts and his hand on her hip and looked so peaceful that she didn't have the heart to wake him. Instead she lay there gently running her fingers through his silvery brown hair until she went back to sleep herself. It was their first attempt at intimacy and it would not be the last. The valide informed her it was custom for the new bride to join her husband in the bath the morning after their wedding. She hadn't been undressed in front of anyone other than Madeline or the valide and was a bit nervous to appear before the sultan unclothed.

"Rumple...have I done something to upset you?" she inquired.

He froze as he was about to take his next bite of egg.

"No...of course not. Why do you ask?"

"You've barely spoken to me this morning," she pointed out.

"Have I?"

"Yes." She set her own fork down and reached across the table to take his hand in hers. "You did nothing wrong last night."

He yanked his hand away. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Yes, you do," she insisted.

"Leave us," Rumple instructed Thomas. He shook his head and left the room. "Now, what are you going on about?" Rumple demanded of his bride.

"You know exactly what Rumplestiltskin and I cannot believe you are upset over it!" she cried. "I am your wife and I want to share your bed and have you hold me in your arms."

"We do not know each other well enough for that!" he shouted. "And have you forgotten that there is very little I can do to please a woman in bed...now?!"

"You won't know if you refuse to try!" she shouted back.

"You will come to this bedchamber and read to me until I sleep then retire to your own."

"No. We will sleep in that bed together or we will not sleep at all!"

"Oh, and how do you plan to accomplish that, hmmm?"

"The only thing you need to know is that I can," she said angrily. "We will have intimacy in this marriage."

He threw his fork down, pushed his chair back and walked away from the table. "I have lost my appetite."

"You are not going to shut me out!" Belle called after his retreating form. He went behind his changing screen and tossed his nightshirt over it. It landed in a heap at her feet.

"Receiving is in two hours." he said from behind the screen.

"Are you not going to bathe first?"

"NO!" he barked.

"So you will hold receiving with the previous day's stench on your body?" she inquired.

He poked his head out from behind the screen. "I do not stink!"

"No but you would be setting a poor example for our subjects by not bathing daily," she reminded him. "And it is tradition that I join you in the bath the day after our wedding. Thomas!" she called out. He ran into the room.

"Yes, my lady sultana?"

"Have the bath prepared for the sultan and myself," she instructed. Rumple glared at her while Thomas lowered his head so that the sultan couldn't see the grin he wore.

"Yes, my lady sultana. Will there be anything else?"

"Have the clothing we will wear for the day brought to the bath as well," she added and left the room. Thomas sauntered over to the changing screen and stepped behind it to see Rumple standing there naked, his hands on his hips and glaring.

"Don't...you...dare!" he hissed while Thomas leaned over to pick up the pile of clothing on the chair behind him.

"Oh, just get it over with!" Thomas snapped, holding out his robe. Rumple snatched it away from him and put it on, still glaring at his servant then thrust his feet into his slippers.

"She's going to drive me as mad as the sultan of Argabah," he complained.

Mad with desire, we hope, Thomas thought.

When Belle entered her chamber in the harem Ashley was waiting for her. The girl bowed.

"Good morning, my lady sultana."

"Good morning Ashley. I will be joining the sultan in the bath this morning. Please have the clothing I will wear for the day brought there," she instructed. "Also have all of my belongings delivered to the sultan's bedchamber. I will not be using this one. Make it available for another woman of the harem."

"Yes, my lady sultana."

"Has the valide awakened yet?"

"Yes, my lady sultana."

Belle walked down the hall to the valide's closed chamber doors where two of her guards stood. They bowed.

"Inform the lady valide that the Haseki Sultan wishes to speak to her," Belle commanded.

"Yes, my lady sultana," one of them said and quickly obeyed. Moments later he emerged. "The valide sultan will see you now, my lady sultana."

The valide was grinning from ear to ear when Belle entered her sitting room. The younger woman bowed.

"Good morning my lady valide," she greeted respectfully. The valide rose and bowed with equal respect to the young woman whose authority in the harem was second only to hers now.

"And a very good morning to you, my dear," she said. "Come...sit and have some tea."

Belle took one of the cups from the tea service and poured herself a drink.

"I take it your spies have kept you informed of the morning's events," Belle said. The valide made a valiant effort not to appear shocked but was not successful. She quickly regained her composure.

"And...what makes you think I am having you spied upon?" the valide inquired.

"You forget, my lady valide, word of your...tactics has travelled far beyond these borders," Belle replied.

The valide chuckled. "In time you will find them beneficial as well and you have achieved quite a victory with my son this morning. He is at this moment on his way to the bath and I've just received word that you are vacating your chambers here in the harem and moving your possessions into his."

"I am his kadin and it is only right that I share his bed. Did you not share Zozo's bed?"

The valide snorted with disgust. "Only when he wanted to lie with me...which, unfortunately was quite often and he was not a gentle lover, not like my son will be with you once his condition is reversed. I will regret using that potion on him until my dying day," she said sadly and burst into tears.

Belle patted her hand. "Once the sultan and I grow to love each other that potion and its affects will only be a distant memory," she assured the older woman. The valide dabbed at her eyes with a silk handkerchief and smiled faintly.

"He will not make it easy for you."

"No, he will not nor will I make it easy for him to deny me. But I must confess...I am a bit nervous. I have not been undressed in a man's presence before."

"I would be disappointed if you were not nervous. And I have no doubt my son will be nervous as well. He does not consider himself to be a handsome man and there is more of an age difference between the two of you than his previous two kadins, may they both rot in the bowels of Hell."

"There is more to a man than just how he looks."

"If you can get Rumple to understand that Belle, it will be the key that will unlock the chains around his heart," the valide advised.

"I will," she vowed.

"Well, where is she?" Rumple snarled while he paced the floor of the bathing hall while Thomas looked for the nearest exit if his temper got the best of him and he ordered him out before he started breaking things. He rarely allowed it to get that far but when he did, the destruction he left in his wake could be extensive. "She was so damned determined we do this and she doesn't show up! Thomas! Fetch my clothing!" he barked.

"...It is right through here, my lady sultana," he heard Ashley saying.

"Dammit!" the sultan cursed and jumped into the bathing pool. Thomas sniggered. Rumple swam over to the edge of the tub and gave the servant a look that could have killed. "The Dark Castle boy...could become your permanent residence if you keep it up!" he said through gritted teeth.

Thomas kneeled down. "You won't do it so quit saying it."

"Then do you want to be missing a head?"

"Keep it up and I'll have Bae drag you out of there when she comes in."

Rumple smirked. "Nice try dearie, but he and Emma are not in Azarajan at the moment."

"Then I'll call for Mulan!" Thomas threatened.

"Don't…you...dare!"

"She's going to have to see sooner or later so why don't you just get on with it?"

Rumple lowered his head and moaned. "I can't, not now. We barely know each other."

Thomas sat down on the edge of the bathing pool and stuck his feet in the water. "She's probably as nervous being unclothed in front of you as you are in front of her and you hiding yourself puts her at a disadvantage. If you want to make this marriage work, you're going to have to give a little."

"A single man giving me marital advice?"

"All I want, all any of us want, is for you to be happy," Thomas said softly. "You have a chance to be with her. Don't let it get away from you. Don't let her get away from you," pleaded.

"It…It's beautiful," Belle whispered as she and Ashley stood in the main hall of Tranquility, the name the sultan had given to his elegant bathhouse. The main hall was octagonal shaped with golden walls and elegant designs in black, the sultan's favorite colors. In the center of the hall was a tall gold statue of their goddess, Selene herself and along the walls were statutes of the sultans of Azarajan, Rumple and Zozo excluded. Belle understood why Rumple's predecessor had not been immortalized in gold but could not understand why the man who seemed to bring so much happiness to his people did not.

"It is the sultan's wish that he not be immortalized in statue during his lifetime and has decreed that once he passes into the afterlife it shall be the peoples' choice whether to immortalize him or not." The servant then walked her charge down the hall to smaller room with plush red velvet sofas along the walls with oak tables before them with a small octagonal shaped fountain in the center of the room. "This is the tea hall," Ashley explained. She allowed her mistress a moment or two to familiarize herself with the room before they moved on to the next. "We are now in the dressing hall."

There were dozens of silk changing areas set up in the room as well as sofas and tables for people to sit and converse while the changing areas were occupied. Ashley escorted her mistress behind the first one. The sultana's clothing was neatly folded on the bench and her robe hanging on the wall of the changing screen. Belle's hands trembled as she removed her nightdress and handed it out to Ashley from behind the changing screen. The servant stepped behind the screen, shaking her head when her mistress reached for the robe.

"You must wash first, my lady sultana. Come, I will help you."

Belle was stunned when the young girl reached up and pulled down on a knob suspended from a gold chain. Warm water sprayed down on the young bride while Ashley handed her a freshly made bar of soap. She quickly washed herself, uncomfortable with having someone present while she did so. Having servants in your presence even when you were completing private rituals was something she still wasn't used to in the time she'd been living in Azarajan. Ashley then handed her a towel to dry and helped her put on the robe.

"Are you ready, my lady sultana?" Ashley inquired softly.

"I...I am," Belle murmured and followed the girl to the end of the hall to a dimly lit room. She could see Thomas sitting on the edge of the bating pool soaking his feet in the water but could not see the sultan at all. Thomas stood up and bowed.

"My lady sultana," he greeted and left the room with Ashley close at his heels. Belle approached the edge of the water and looked down into it, the sultan nowhere in sight. She crossed her arms over her breasts.

"I'm as nervous as you are!" she said. "And both of us are past the age where we can play hide and seek. Now come out!"

He poked his head out from under the water on the opposite side of the bathing pool and turned so that his back was to her. "If you're going to come in then get on with it because I am not turning around until you do."

"We're going to have to see each other sooner or later," she reminded him.

"Then it will be later."

She groaned and removed her robe, stepping carefully into the bathing pool. "You can turn around now." He obeyed and remained in his place at the opposite end of the pool. She swam toward him. "Rumple, we can't spend the rest of our lives avoiding each other."

"I'm well aware of that!" he snapped then sighed. "I'm not a young man anymore and…."

"Rumple, why do you have such a low opinion of yourself? It is because of your previous wives, isn't it?"

"Isn't it obvious, dearie? One of them chose another man over me and the other's lust was for power."

"I am not like either of your previous wives," she reminded him. "The valide wasn't very forthcoming about what we should be….doing in here. If we are supposed to be bathing, why did Ashley tell me to wash while I stood under a water spray in the dressing hall?"

"This bath is more for relaxation than anything else, my kadin," he replied. "You did not have bathhouses in Avonlea?"

"No. When we bathed, we did so to be clean, nothing more and I am not used to having an audience when I do so."

He swam over to one of the cement benches and sat, leaning his head against the back of the pool and closing his eyes, allowing the heated water to relax his tense muscles. Moments later she appeared beside him.

"Oh, this is quite relaxing," she said softly.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it."

"I would like to join you here every morning."

"Would you?"

"Yes."

He smiled. "I think I would like that very much."

"Rumple, so that it does not come as a surprise to you, I must tell you I have moved my things into your bedchamber."

"What? Why?" he asked frantically, his eyes fluttering open.

"I told you: I want intimacy in our marriage," she said, reaching under the water to take his hand in hers. "I want us to share a bed all the time, not just when we're making love."

Which we'll never be able to do, he thought bitterly.

"And we will," she added firmly. "It will take time but I will be patient."

"Belle, my condition….my doctor believes it is irreversible."

She scoffed. "Doctors know little about the connections between the mind, body and heart."

"Have you been reading The Garden of Delights?"

"I never have but there is a quote from it that I have heard quite often and it has become my favorite."

"When in perfect harmony mind, heart and body are bound

The route to Paradise can at last be found…." they recited in unison and smiled as they realized they were both quoting the same passage.

"Then you believe that the book is much more than an instructional volume on how to conduct oneself in the bedchamber?"

"Very much so. Many consider its text and poetry works of art as grand as the paintings and statues housed in some of the grandest palaces of the world. The valide has given me a copy. May we look at it together tonight perhaps?"

"It doesn't have the same effect on me as before," the sultan confessed nervously.

"I believe it will again and I want to find the route to Paradise….with you," she added her voice barely a whisper. "Will you teach me Rumple?" she asked, her blue eyes locking with his.

"Yes," he found himself saying and turned so that they were facing each other, their lips inches apart. She closed her eyes and held her breath in anticipation of his kiss. Instead his lips touched her forehead.

"Rumple…why didn't you…?" she began.

He pressed a finger to her lips to silence her. "Later. You have asked me to teach you and I will, my kadin. Just not here."

Her spirits lifted. "Until tonight then?"

They turned away from each other and swam to opposite ends of the pool to don their robes. Taking her hand in his he escorted her to the dressing hall. When they were both dressed, Jefferson and Graham entered the dressing hall to escort them to the throne room.

"Their excellencies: the Sultan Rumplestiltskin and the Haseki Sultan Belle!" the majordomo announced, tapping his staff on the marble floor while the sultan and his bride sat in their thrones, their guests bowing to them.

"You may bring forth the participants in our first case of the day," Rumple instructed. Two guards brought a man forward in shackles with a woman standing on the other side of them. While the charges were being read against the prisoner, Rumple gripped the arms of his throne tightly, thinking the man standing before him could've been his own worthless father were he not rotting in the bowels of Hell. Also the couple began bickering once the charges were read and he was getting a headache.

"Enough!" Rumple barked. "A man who squanders all his gold on ale, cards and dice and a woman who spends all of her time in the company of other men do not deserve to have children! As of this moment your children are now wards of the crown and you will be imprisoned for a term of one year for your negligence!" he boomed, stunning the couple. The woman fell to her knees before the throne.

"My liege, I beg of you, please do not take my children away!" she cried.

"You should have thought of them before yourself at all times madam and many in the village have given evidence that you do not nor does your husband as you cannot even provide a stable home for them!" He waved his hand. "Take them away and have the children brought to the palace. What is the next case?" he demanded of the majordomo. Another man was brought before the sultan in shackles, charged with selling potions that were guaranteed to cure most common illnesses and after being examined by Regina proven to be fakes. The sultan rose from his throne and approached the prisoner. The guards forced the man to his knees. "Preying on the desperate for a few coins is without a doubt the vilest aspect of human nature that one can exhibit. Perhaps spending a year assisting those who have the skills to cure the illnesses you claimed to is a suitable punishment for your crimes and if you are ever found to be producing your fraudulent remedies again you will be confined to the Dark Castle for the rest of your days! Remove him!"

He returned to his throne and massaged his temples, his headache worsening.

"You should rest," Belle whispered to him.

"There is one more case I must hear. Bring them in."

Both he and the sultana were shocked when Thomas and Ashley were escorted into the throne room.

"What is the charge?" the sultan asked through gritted teeth, glaring at the couple.

"Public lewdness, my liege."

"WHAT?!" he roared.

"My liege….they lie…" Thomas protested.

"We do not lie!" protested one of the witnesses.

"You will explain yourselves…NOW!" the sultan boomed.

"My liege….it was just a few kisses…" Ashley protested.

"You would not be accused of public lewdness for a few kisses! And you both have been told time and again intimate acts are forbidden in public! After I have given both of you a home in my palace this is how you repay me? By deliberately disobeying my laws?"

"Had they not been caught they would have rutted with each other like animals," another witness said, further stoking the fire of the sultan's wrath.

"You're lying!" Ashley cried. "You…you're just telling the sultan this because you're angry Thomas chose me instead of you, Santina!"

"Why you little cow…!"

"Restrain these cats immediately!" the sultan commanded the guards as the girls were about to come to blows. "Two people have given testimony that you were engaged in lewd behavior in public. Did anyone else witness it?" Rumple demanded of the guards. They brought a local baker and his wife into the throne room. Rumple rose from his throne and approached the elderly couple.

"Did you witness this boy and girl engaging in behavior that is against this country's decency laws?" he inquired calmly.

"We did, my liege."

"And what transpired?"

"They were kissing and touching each other, my liege and the boy had his hands in the girl's bodice." The baker answered honestly.

"Did you witness this also madam?" he asked the man's spouse.

"I did, my liege."

Thomas groaned and Ashley burst into tears while the sultan was fighting to control his temper again.

"I didn't lie!" Santina declared proudly and smirked.

"Silence!" Rumple looked over at Thomas and Ashley. "You both have disappointed me. You will be taken to the Dark Castle and imprisoned there for a period of one month according to the decency laws and the rest of you may go home! Receiving is over!"

Ashley wailed and tried to embrace Thomas. He was pulled back by the guards and both of them were led out of the throne room, leaving the sultan and his bride alone in the room.

"Rumple, may I speak with you?" Belle asked as she stood up and approached him.

"This is not up for discussion!"

"You can't throw them in prison for a few kisses and caresses!" she argued.

"Have you forgotten that they've broken the law and I can? Also they are not married and should not be behaving in such a brazen manner! A month in the Dark Castle will make them see the error of their ways!"

"It is cruel!" she cried. "And I will not have you taking your frustrations over our own lack of intimacy out on others!"

"I am not…"

"You are!" she accused.

"Belle!"

She reached for his hands and held them. "If they want to express their love publicly, let them do so in marriage." she proposed.

"Marriage seems to be your solution to a lot of issues, isn't it?" he sneered.

"As a married couple they will exercise more restraint."

"You are certain of that?"

"I am." Their eyes met again and he cursed under his breath. When she looked at him with those imploring eyes of hers he found it difficult to refuse her.

"And you are going to drive me mad!" he complained. "Jefferson!"

"My liege?"

"Have Thomas and Ashley brought back in here and send word to the lady Diana to have the Temple of Selene prepared for our arrival. We are to have a wedding with only family in attendance. And has there been any word from Bae?"

"None, my liege."

The couple was brought back into the throne room. "I should toss you both in the Dark Castle for deliberately flaunting my laws! However, I have decided that you will not be imprisoned in the Dark Castle. Instead, you will be married at the Temple of Selene. Tonight. And the bed sheet will be brought to me tomorrow morning as proof you have not been rutting with each other prior to this and there had better not be pigs' blood on it!"

"We're so sorry, my liege," Thomas said somberly. "We got…carried away."

"It had better not happen again!"

"It won't," Ashley vowed.

"Are you…going to do the same thing to Bae?" Thomas inquired. "He umm…hasn't been caught in public but…"

"I should but let's get you married off first."

Later on that night the sultan was alone in their bedchamber while Belle was in the harem helping prepare young Ashley for her wedding night. He tried to pass the time reading one of the books from his extensive library only to toss it aside when it no longer held his interest. He glanced over at the hourglass and as the sands trickled down, his anxiety rose. Did she now regret her decision to share a bed with him and was considering moving back to her own quarters in the harem? He got out of bed and began pacing the floors.

"Waiting, always waiting for her!" he muttered. "I'm a fool. An old fool!"

He heard footsteps in the hall and jumped back into bed, opening a book and pretending to read.

"Ah….is Ashley settled in then?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Yes," she answered and stepped behind the changing screen to put on her nightdress. She emerged in another blue satin and lace gown that was a bit more revealing than the one she wore the previous evening and crawled onto the bed, taking the book from his hands and closing it. She opened the drawer on the table beside the bed and took out The Garden of Delights. "You promised me we would read it together, Rumple," she reminded him.

"D…Did I?" he stammered.

"Yes, you did…and you also promised me something else."

"It must've slipped my mind. What was it?"

"That you would teach me…" she whispered. "Teach me how a husband and wife kiss…"

"Have you been kissed by your betrothed?"

"Yes."

"Did you enjoy his kisses?"

"No."

"And what makes you think you would find any pleasure in mine?"

"You are more…experienced."

"You'd be surprised, my kadin, at just how limited my experience with women is."

"Rumple, I wish you would stop trying to create a barrier between us."

He sighed. "We've only been married a day and known each other in so little time." Yet in spite of that, he found himself wanting to make this marriage between them work.

She opened the book and he quickly closed it, cupping her face in his hands and drawing her lips to his. His first kiss was a gentle brushing of his lips against hers. Gaston had never been gentle. He attacked her mouth with a vengeance, nearly choking her as he forced his tongue into her mouth and sometimes he would bite her lip enough to draw blood. She could feel the sultan caressing her lips with his own tongue, seeking entrance. She parted her lips willingly, sighing with pleasure as his tongue caressed hers and closed her eyes. Then as quickly as he started, he pulled away.

"Rumple?"

"Yes, Belle?" he croaked.

"Kiss me again," she pleaded and moaned softly when she felt his mouth on hers again. He shoved the book aside and it crashed to the floor while he laid her back against the pillows, deepening the kiss. She wrapped her arms around him and held him to her while they kissed. He lifted his mouth from hers and gazed into her eyes. She was smiling while she caressed his cheek. "It's a start, Rumple," she said before he had a chance to speak.

"What if I can never…"

"You will," she vowed again. "We just have to work on the bond between this," she said, tapping his head. "And this…" she went on, pressing her palm against his chest. "And then the rest will follow." She cupped his face in her hands and drew his mouth to hers. "And we have plenty of time to work on it."

A small hole closed behind the bedroom wall and a servant moved through the passage behind it to the valide's chambers. She was still awake, waiting patiently for the girl's report.

The valide was smiling as the girl related what she'd witnessed from her hiding place. She knew she would have much to answer for if her son discovered the spy hole in his bedchamber but she had to learn for herself if Belle's vow to the sultan that she would learn to love him and bear him a child was a true one and indeed it was. They had only kissed but as her daughter-in-law said…it was a start. What they needed now was to spend more time together alone outside of the bedchamber.

The Silver Slipper was the most successful and most notorious brothel in Agrabah but it also served as a valuable source of information to whomever paid the most and more often than not it was either the valide or the sultan of Azarajan who both understood the need to have eyes and ears everywhere there was a potential threat. They didn't trust her completely but her information was always reliable. In exchange for the information Zelena could provide them, the sultan or the valide would send along either the gold or objects she requested. Bae and Emma dismounted their horses and entered the brothel. The butler spoke not a word to them, instead he led them upstairs to the second floor and knocked on the double doors to the master suite.

"Madam Zelena, you have guests."

"Show them in," a female voice called out from behind the door. Bae and Emma were shown into the room where a woman sat behind a desk. Bae removed a coin purse from his belt and tossed it onto the desk. Zelena opened it and took out a coin, biting into it.

"The sultan sends his regards," Bae announced.

She smiled. "Ahh and how is he? I'm told he wed again."

"He has. Now, what do you have for us?" Bae demanded.

"A group of Jafar's men set sail for Azarajan two days ago heavily armed. And you, I believe also have something for me?" Zelena said to Emma.

Emma removed a pouch from her own belt and held it up. "The potion you requested courtesy of the valide." Zelena approached her to take it. Emma held it away from her. "How do we know the information you're giving us is legitimate?"

"Walsh...bring him in," Zelena instructed her butler. He returned minutes later with a bound and gagged Agrabah soldier and threw him to the ground. Zelena pulled a dagger from underneath her dress and pointed it at the man's groin. "Now tell them exactly what you told me or you can say your last goodbyes to your livelihood!" she threatened. He spit in her face.

"Burn in hell, bitch!" he snarled. She raised the dagger and stabbed him in the hand, pinning him to the floor.

"You were saying?" she asked coldly. The man bit down on something. "Oh, no you don't!" Walsh held the man's mouth open while Zelena reached into it and pulled out the poison capsule. She tossed it away. "Now then, start talking because if I don't get my payment, you don't live to see tomorrow!" she snarled.

Bae kneeled down in front of the man. "Where were those men Jafar sent out headed and what are they doing?"

The soldier laughed. "It doesn't matter. By the time you find them, they'll already be dead."

"Who?"

"Your sultan and his pretty little wife."

"All right, I think we've gotten all we can out of this one," Zelena said, pulling the dagger out of his hand and stabbing him in the heart. "Walsh, take this piece of trash down to the dock and feed it to the sharks."

Emma tossed Zelena the potion. "Nice doing business with you," the madam said when she caught it. "At least now my girls won't be getting the pox."

"Dammit!" Bae cursed. "Emma, we'd better get go going!"

"It's a three-day ride on horseback! We'll never make it in time!" Emma cried when they ran outside to their horses."

"We have to try and we have to warn the sultan." Bae whistled and a white dove flew onto his shoulder. He took a sheet of parchment out of his pouch and scribbled a message on it. He rolled it up, tied it to the bird's foot and released the animal into the air. The dove, trained by him and the sultan to carry messages back and forth was a clever bird, always able to avoid enemies dispatched to eliminate him before his messages could reach their recipients. It flew fast, understanding that the message it carried was of great importance and needed to be delivered immediately.

Early the next morning it fell on David and a girl named Nova to take over Thomas and Ashley's duties attending the royal couple while Thomas and Ashley celebrated their nuptials. They crept into the royal bedchamber and found the sultan and his kadin still asleep. David gently shook the sultan's shoulder as Thomas had instructed him to do. Rumple groaned, not wanting to get out of bed when he was sleeping in the arms of the most beautiful woman in the seven kingdoms.

"My liege…."

"Giddout…" Rumple muttered sleepily, waving him away.

"My lady sultana, please awaken," Nova whispered in Belle's ear.

"Go 'way," Belle murmured while she cradled her husband's head against her breasts, gently stroking his hair. Although they'd only held and kissed each other the night before, they'd taken the first steps to having more intimacy in their marriage. She was anticipating more nights like this when they would do so much more.

The two servants looked at each other helplessly. Neither of their predecessors had explained to them what they were supposed to do if the couple didn't want to get out of bed although they had to. It was the end of the week and the sultan had a busy schedule that day. They retreated from the royal bedchamber and down the hall to where the newly married Thomas and Ashley were residing. As they approached the door, they came face to face with the valide. Both kneeled.

"The sultan and his kadin are not to be disturbed for any other reasons than to serve them their meals," she commanded. "I will be taking over his schedule for today."

"Yes, my lady valide," they answered in unison while David wondered what the sultan's opinion on that would be since the valide had already made some rather rash decisions the last time she acted as regent on his behalf. They bowed again and retreated to the kitchens to fetch the trays for the royal couple's breakfast. When they returned to the bedchamber the sultan and his bride were awake.

"My liege, the valide has informed us that she will be taking over your schedule for today. Shall I tell her there is no need?" Nova inquired.

Rumple frowned. The cases to be presented would take all day to hear and leave him little time for his bride and daughters. If the valide was willing to act as his representative for the day, he was more than willing to let her do so. It would also give him the opportunity to decide whether he should shorten her house arrest term or extend it.

"She may act as my representative for the day. David, fetch Phillip and Mulan would you please?"

"Yes, my liege." He returned minutes later with the two soldiers in tow.

"You are to conceal yourselves in one of the valide's spy tunnels and observe her during the judgments today. You should both know where they all are," he instructed. "You also know well my wishes in certain cases and if the valide makes a decision that contradicts those wishes I am to be informed immediately. Also, advise everyone to keep their eyes to the skies. I am expecting a report from Bae regarding the Agrabah situation."

"Yes, my liege," they answered in unison.

"Would you have our breakfast brought out to the terrace please," Belle instructed David and Nova. "It is a lovely morning."

"Yes, my lady sultana."

Once everyone had been given their instructions and their breakfast was ready, Belle and Rumple waved them all off and stepped out onto the terrace.

"You have reserved the day for yourself, Rumple. What do you plan to do?"

"For us, my kadin," he corrected. "I would like us to spend some of the day with my daughters and perhaps a visit to some of the villages? I did promise you the opportunity to tell a story to the children, did I not?"

She smiled. "I'm pleased you remembered."

"I still have my wits about me!" he protested though he didn't sound angry to her relief. Their marriage was getting off to a good start and she didn't want to spoil it by provoking his temper.

"I would love to meet the people and let them come to know me. I rode with my father during our progresses but I spent most of my time confined to the estates we visited."

He snorted. "And how, pray tell, did he expect the people to come to know you when you were not able to see them? I will answer my own question. He did not. Instead, he allowed the people to meet your betrothed whom would rule in your stead and you would be merely an ornament on his arm. Foolish!"

"Did the valide accompany Zozo on progress?"

"He never made any. And my previous kadins were not popular with the people nor did they desire to win their hearts. When I went on progress, my daughters and the valide accompanied me."

"I will accompany you on every progress we make, Rumple unless I am with child and the midwife feels it is not safe for me to travel."

If you ever are, he thought.

Since it was still very early in the morning, they had the bathhouse to themselves. When she walked into the bathing room her husband was already in the pool relaxing. As soon as he saw her, he turned his back.

"Rumple…"

"Just let me know when you're in," he said.

"But I thought…."

"Not yet," he said.

She removed her robe and stepped into the pool, swimming over to where he stood. "You can turn around now."

"Belle, I know you're upset with me but….I do not feel right looking upon you unclothed when I will not allow you to look upon me."

"I'm not expecting you to yet. That will take time. I just feel like you're afraid I'll not find you attractive."

I'm an old man and you are a beautiful young woman.

He didn't reply. He didn't need to. The expression on his face was enough of an answer and it pained her. "You are handsome in your own way Rumplestiltskin and that is enough for me. There was nothing that pleased me more than awakening to find you in my arms again…and our kisses…" she whispered, leaning forward to press her lips to his. Their kiss was brief and lacked the physical intimacy as the evening before from the distance he kept from her to avoid their bodies coming in close contact with each other. His body would continue to keep her at a distance as long as his mind and heart were plagued by fear and doubt.

"I will join you in a bit," she said to him once they were dressed and stood in the gardens to wait for the sultan's daughters to join them.

"Belle, is something wrong?" he asked.

"No. There is something I need to do this morning that I had forgotten about, that is all," she lied.

"Oh. Until later, then?"

When she entered the throne room the valide had just dismissed the participants of a case. "Leave us!" she commanded as soon as she spotted Belle.

"My dear, I thought you were going to spend the day with the sultan." The young kadin burst into tears. Tatiana threw her arms around her. "Belle, Belle, what is wrong?"

"He….he may never love me….and it is my fault….I am pushing him too much…and now I fear I am pushing him away…" she sobbed.

"I was afraid of this. Come, sit," the valide instructed and led the heartbroken woman over to her own throne while she returned to her place at the sultan's. "Belle, we must be more patient. My son has been in this state for some time and it will not happen overnight. I should never have encouraged you."

"I…I know but…but I want our marriage to be…d…different than the on my parents had. They never kissed. They never touched….they never shared a bed….I don't even think they made love except when it was needed to conceive me!"

The valide sighed. "Do you think my marriage was a pleasant one, Belle? It was not. Nor was my time as Zozo's concubine and I was content with that because I did not love either of them but they served their purposes. The only man I truly loved was Rumple's father."

"But…I don't understand….wasn't your husband Rumple's father?"

The valide snorted. "That drunken wretch? The few times he could function as a man in our bed were brief and the stench of the ale was on him so he finished the deed quickly. I didn't want his rotted manhood in me any more than I wanted his seed in my womb so I monitored my moon cycle carefully and made certain he never took me at the times I was most fertile. I met Rumple's father in the marketplace. He was a very talented spinner and weaver and….he spun his way into my heart."

"What happened to him?"

"He fell from his horse after it was frightened by a snake," the valide confessed. "He was supposed meeting me…I was going to leave my husband and start anew with him. I waited for hours, thinking he'd changed his mind until I learned of his death. But…he lives on in my heart…and my son," she added through her tears. "We have been too focused on my son's physical afflictions that we have forgotten that his heart and mind have been damaged the most by what I and his previous wives have done," the valide took Belle's hands in hers. "Heal those first, my dear."

Belle smiled though her tears. "I will," she vowed. "I must go. My husband is waiting for me."

When she returned to the gardens she found him sitting on the grass with his daughters, weaving while they carried on conversations with him. Aurora was also weaving, trying to follow the instructions the sultan was giving her.

"I will never finish this shawl in time," she wailed, throwing the garment down in frustration.

"Not if you continue to put it aside when you become frustrated," Rumple admonished her while he worked on his own.

"What are you making, Papa?" Snow asked him.

"A tapestry," he murmured.

"Belle, there you are! We were wondering if you were joining us!" Ruby exclaimed. The sultan looked up from his tapestry and smiled faintly.

"I had something I needed to do," Belle explained. "The looks wonderful, Rumple. Will you teach me?"

"How to weave?" he inquired.

"That and spinning. I am not very good at either," she confessed.

"He's a wonderful teacher, Belle!" Aurora boasted.

"I'm afraid I am not able to spend as much time with any of you as I'd like to, but yes, my kadin, we will begin lessons in weaving and spinning," he said, pleased.

They spent most of the morning in the gardens with the girls, Rumple teaching Belle to weave and continuing Aurora's own lessons. He was relieved when he did not receive any word that his mother was going against his wishes as she presided over the day's judgments. Later that afternoon he announced that he and Belle would be riding into the nearest village.

"Will you purchase some materials for me, Papa?" Aurora asked.

"I will, poppet and what baubles would the rest of you require?"

"Oh, nothing, Papa," Snow answered.

They rode first into the marketplace. "Is this marketplace similar to the one in your own village, Rumple?"

"Yes," he replied and dismounted, linking her arm through his, the crowds cheering when they saw him and soon the royal couple was surrounded, Graham and Jefferson on alert in case anyone tried to attack them but all they wanted to do was see and possibly speak to the man they all heard so much about and there were several citizens who were ill, asking him to bestow his blessing on them.

He kneeled before one elderly man and took his hand in his. "What ails you, sir?"

"My heart, my liege. It has grown weaker with my advanced age but I do not fear death."

"Have you served the will of the goddess throughout your life?"

"I have."

"Then you will be welcomed into her bosom," the sultan said softly. "But do not begin that final journey alone, my friend. Surround yourself with your family."

"That I will do, my liege. And may the goddess bless you and the lady sultana," the man said and kissed his hand. Belle watched them, moved to tears by her husband's compassion. After blessing all of the ill people who approached them, Rumple and Belle began stopping at each table in the marketplace, purchasing items from them and arranging for the items to be taken back to the palace. Then Rumple approached the table of a wool seller. When he heard the seller's price and studied the product, he frowned.

"You charge far too much for an inferior product," he declared.

"Inferior! How would you know what is inferior wool?"

Rumple glared at him. "Have you forgotten I was once a wool spinner, fool?" he snapped. "I see you have. You will improve your product or you will lower your price."

"But…sire…."

"You dare to question my authority?"

"No…" the merchant said nervously.

"Very well then. You shame our guild by charging outrageous prices for a product of poor quality and I will not tolerate cheats in my kingdom. If you cannot improve your craft on your own then I suggest you take lessons from one who is better skilled. And I will be making inquiries into your activities here from this moment on."

"Y…Yes, my liege."

People were stunned to see the worst cheat in the village dare to insult the sultan. Belle feared that her husband would unleash his temper on the poor man and she was relieved when he handled the situation calmly. Many people had forgotten he was once one of them.

In many ways he still is, she mused. While they were walking away, she patted his arm. "You handled that very well."

"Though I was angry? He reminded me of a few lackluster wool spinners I knew in my own village. I despise cheats. My father was one and all my life I have tried not to be like him."

"I've heard it said you were born a talented spinner."

"That's what my mother says and that my skills rivaled those of Rolando."

"Who was Rolando?"

"The most talented spinner in our village. He died very young though….from a fall from a horse I am told and before I was born. I wanted to be like him all my life."

He doesn't know the man was his father! Belle thought. She wanted to tell him but felt it wasn't her place. It was the valide's.

While they were talking they didn't notice a small hand reach out and snatch the coin purse from his belt.

"The sultan has been robbed!" one of the merchants cried out.

"There's the thief!" another cried, pointing at a small figure darting through the crowd.

"Jefferson, come with me!" Rumple shouted, drawing his sword. "Mulan, Graham, stay with the sultana!" he commanded the other two guards and the two of them hurried after the thief while Belle looked on both amazed by and concerned for her husband. Her father would not have dared to apprehend a thief himself due to the safety risk.

Rumple and Jefferson chased the thief through the marketplace, once in a while catching sight of him but he was a slippery one and managed to escape as soon as they came close to apprehending him. Rumple caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye and ran after him again, chasing him into an alley with Jefferson close at his heels and unaware that Graham, Mulan and Belle were also in pursuit. Rumple stopped in the middle of the alley and looked around. There were dozens of straw baskets lined against the walls, small enough to conceal the small thief.

"Come out, come out wherever you are, dearie!" he sang. The lid from one of the baskets beside him popped off and the small thief jumped out, kicking him in the shin and running to the end of the alley only to find he was faced with a brick wall on one end and the sword wielding sultan on the other. He turned around and Rumple was stunned to see a child at least seven years of age standing in front of him with his purse tied to his belt. He was very thin, pale, dirty and his clothes were full of holes. The child glared up at him defiantly.

"If you're gonna cut off my hand, go ahead an do it!" he snarled.

"Why would I do that?" Rumple asked softly.

"Cause you're the sultan an I stole from you an that's what you do to people who steal…you cut off their hands."

"There you are, you little rat!" one of the soldiers yelled. "We'll take care of this, my liege," one of them said and reached for the boy.

"You will stand down!" the sultan commanded. The soldiers quickly backed away.

"What is your name?" Rumple asked the child.

"Aladdin!" he said quickly making it sound differently to the sultan.

"Al Din?"

"No, Aladdin!" he corrected.

"Aladdin, where are your parents?"

"Don't got any."

"Who is taking care of you?"

"I can take care of myself!" the boy said angrily.

"Oh I have no doubt that you could but you shouldn't at your age," Rumple said while he returned his sword to its scabbard. He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Belle, Graham and Mulan.

"Rumple, he's a child!" Belle gasped.

"Who're you?" Aladdin asked her.

"This is my wife, Belle," the sultan replied. "Belle, this is Aladdin."

"Hello, Aladdin. Rumple…he…" She hesitated to comment on the boy's appearance because judging by the angry look on his face he would feel insulted.

"I know. Aladdin, where do you live?"

"Why you wanna know?" he demanded.

"I just want to see. Will you take us there?"

"Yeah but I don't know why you care. You have a big castle!" the boy said angrily and reluctantly led his companions out of the marketplace and into the woods. They came upon a cottage that was in severe disrepair. Belle gasped and reached for the sultan's hand, both of them horrified once they were inside and saw that it had no furniture and no light. One of the broken doors opened and a little girl emerged as thin, pale, dirty and wearing clothes as ragged as Aladdin's. She screamed when she saw the sultan.

"Why'd you bring him here? He's gonna kill me like my papa!" she screamed and huddled in a corner.

"I'm not gonna let him," the boy vowed.

"Rumple, what does she mean?" Belle asked her husband.

"I don't know! I've never seen this child before and I've never killed anyone in my life!" he protested. The little girl stood up and approached him, giving him the same defiant glare Aladdin did.

"You go away. You killed my papa!"

Rumple kneeled down so that he was at eye level with the girl. "I have never killed anyone in my life, poppet and you have no reason to fear me. What is your name?"

"Jasmine! Princess Jasmine! You lied. You killed my papa!"

"Who was your papa?"

"Amir! The sultan of Agrabah…an you killed him. I hate you!" she wailed. "Jafar said so an he hid me here to protect me."

Bastard, Rumple thought angrily, hearing the girl speak the name of the former grand vizier providing evidence that she was speaking the truth about her identity. Protecting you was the last thing he wanted to do when he hid you here. He was hoping you would die of hunger before I would learn of your existence!

"Your Highness, I give you my word that your father did not die by my hand. He…he died in battle fighting for his country, honorably. And I would never, ever harm you or any child in my kingdom! I am not expecting you to trust my word now but I am hoping in time that you will. You cannot stay here, poppet. It is not safe."

Aladdin shoved him. "You're not taking Jasmine away. She's my friend and I'm gonna take care of her!"

"Aladdin, I want both of you to come back to the palace with me," he said. "I know you've done everything you can to take care of yourself and Jasmine but you need to be in a home where you will have clean clothes, good food, a comfortable place to sleep and people who can care for you."

"Aladdin, Jasmine, I know we're strangers to you but we want to take care of you," Belle said softly. "You don't need to be afraid of me or the sultan. He is a good man with a good heart, especially for children. He will love you like you are his own, as will I."

"You promise?" Jasmine asked.

"Yes," the sultan and his wife answered in unison, Rumple unable to stop his heart from racing. Had she actually called him a good man with a good heart?

"Then I wanna go live with you if Aladdin goes."

"I'll go Jasmine."

While Jasmine rode with Belle, Rumple rode back to the palace with Aladdin on the saddle in front of him. Both children had been scared to get on the horses as neither had ridden a day in their lives. Having the sultan and his wife hold them protectively put both childrens' minds at ease.

"Wow!" Aladdin cried as he gazed at the palace. "That's where we're gonna live?"

"Yes, dearie. That is my palace called Arcadia," the sultan replied with a smile. "And you'll have lots of brothers and sisters."

Belle smiled, recognizing that the name the sultan had given his palace was an abbreviated version of the word arcadian, meaning innocent, simple or untroubled and his bathhouse had been named Tranquilty, meaning quiet or peaceful.

Quiet places for an unquiet mind, she thought. There were many layers to the man she married and she was happy to discover a new one every time she thought she knew everything about him.

They'd purchased new clothing for the children in the marketplace but both of them needed a bath. While the sultan and Aladdin waited in the tea hall, Belle took Jasmine to the bathing hall and gave her a bath in the smaller pool. Once they were in the dressing hall, Rumple took Aladdin's hand and led him into the bathing room. As soon as the boy's body touched the water he yelled.

"I don't wanna take a bath!" he protested, jumping out of the smaller bathing pool and running down the hall.

"Aladdin, come back here!" the sultan cried, running after him, nearly slipping several times on the puddles of water the boy left on the floor. "You cannot go running about the palace starkers for goddess' sake! It's indecent!" The boy ran into the dressing hall where Belle was sitting with Jasmine on one of the sofas brushing the princess's hair. She immediately covered the girl's eyes when the nude boy ran past them with the sultan in pursuit and giggled in spite of herself.

"Belle, why are you covering my eyes?" Jasmine asked.

"I'm sorry, sweetie…but umm…something you don't need to see."

"Oh…okay."

"All right, where are you, you imp?" the sultan demanded as he stood in the garden with his hands on his hips. He heard a noise in the bushes in front of him and reached in, grabbing Aladdin. "Now you are getting a bath and we'll be having no more of this."

"I don't want a bath."

"Well you're getting one," Rumple said firmly as he carried him back to the bathhouse. Belle quickly covered Jasmine's eyes again when he approached them.

"Do you need any help?" she asked him.

"No. I have it. We'll join you and Jasmine in here in a bit."

He placed the child back in the smaller bathing pool. "Now you are not getting out until you're clean. You don't want to get sick or smell, do you?"

"No," the boy said.

"Then let's wash all this off you and we'll put you in your new clothes…then later on you'll be sleeping in your own bed." Rumple said and went to work bathing the child, even putting some toys in the water to play with as he used to do with the other children when they were younger. Once Aladdin was bathed and dressed, they joined Belle and Jasmine in the tea hall.

"What's this stuff?" Aladdin asked, pointing at the plate of fruit.

"I know…they're peaches. We used to get them all the time," Jasmine explained. "They're good Aladdin."

He attacked the fruit tray with a vengeance. "Aladdin, Aladdin, eat slowly dearie!" Rumple cautioned but the boy didn't listen. Rumple took the plate away but he grabbed it back. Moments later the boy was doubled over and vomiting. "That's why I told you not to eat so fast."

"Tummy hurts," he wailed.

"I'll go see if Regina has one of her cordials," Belle said softly.

"I'll get him into bed." Rumple said picking up Aladdin and taking Jasmine's hand into his free one. He had the boy tucked into bed by the time Belle returned with the cordial while Jasmine sat in the chair beside the bed.

"What's that?" Aladdin asked worriedly while Rumple poured some of the medicine onto a spoon.

"It's to make your tummy feel better Aladdin," Jasmine said before he had a chance to. "It's gonna taste yucky but it'll make it stop hurting."

Rumple smiled. "She's right. Now can you open up for me…that's a good boy."

"Yuck!" Aladdin grumbled as he swallowed the medicine. "My tummy still hurts!" he complained.

"It'll take a bit to work," Rumple said.

"I'm sleepy," Jasmine murmured. "Can I stay here with Aladdin? Please."

"Just for tonight, poppet." Rumple picked up the little girl and put her in bed beside Aladdin.

"Now, would you like to hear a story?" Belle asked.

"I like stories," Jasmine said.

"Belle tells very good ones, poppet," the sultan said softly, meeting Belle's eyes. "Can you make room for me?"

The two children scooted over to make room for Rumple to lie beside them in the bed. Belle smiled, thinking what a wonderful sight they made all curled up together in the bed and wished with all of her heart that one day it would one day be their child she would be telling stories to. She made herself comfortable in the chair and pondered what kind of story she wanted to tell.

"Have any of you ever heard the story of the magic lamp?"

They shook their heads.

"In a kingdom far away there lived a boy named Sidney. He was a wise young boy who had everything his heart desired, except for one thing….a way to cure his mother of her illness, for no potion or cordial found in the land could help her. Then one day they boy heard people speaking of a lamp that could grant you three of fondest wishes if you could find it. Thinking this magic lamp could help his mother, Sidney set out to find the lamp himself and had an idea where it was located during his travels he came upon two men also seeking the lamp. They befriended the boy and promised him that once they found the lamp they would allow him to make one of the three wishes and keep the other two for themselves."

"That's a bad idea," Jasmine said before the sultan had chance to offer up his own opinion which was in complete agreement with hers.

"Why?" Aladdin asked.

"Because if Jasmine and I are correct, these two men have no intentions of giving any of the wishes to the boy," Rumple answered.

"Do they, Belle?"

"The three of them came upon a cave where the lamp was said to be located but the entrance was only small enough for young Sidney to squeeze through. The two men sent the boy into the cave and he found the lamp. When he came out of the cave, the men took the lamp from him and left him out there alone."

"That's mean!" Aladdin cried.

"Now Sidney can't help his mama!" Jasmine added.

"The story is not yet over, dearies," the sultan reminded them.

"Once they were far enough away from the boy, one of the men picked up the lamp and the instructions were that you had to rub on it. When they did a genie came out."

"Ooo….I hope he turns them into toads!" Jasmine said angrily.

"Or slugs!" Aladdin added.

Rumple giggled.

"The genie looks at both of them and says 'Three wishes I grant you. No more. No less. Speak your wishes carefully for all magic comes with a price and only to those pure of heart will I grant happiness.' The first man makes his wish and a chest of gold appears at his feet for he wished for a chest of riches."

The children scowled. "But he's bad!" they protested.

"Then the second man made his wish for a lavish home."

"He doesn't deserve that either!"

"There was still one wish left to make and the men got into a terrible argument over whom would make the last wish. The genie, seeing that neither of them were pure of heart, took away everything they wished for and sent them back to their village in disgrace. He then returned to his lamp. Sidney then found the lamp and rubbed on it. 'Three wishes I grant you. No more. No less. Speak your wishes carefully for all magic comes with a price and only to those pure of heart will I grant happiness,' the genie said to him.

'All I wish for sir, is that my mother get well. There is nothing else I need.'

Seeing at last a person pure of heart, the genie returned with the boy to his village and cured his mother of her illness. 'You still have two wishes, child,' the genie said.

'The wish I made has come true, I have no need of the other two. I give them back to you.' Sidney said. 'What would you wish for?'

'There is only one thing I desire but my wish can never be granted,' said the genie.

'Why?' asked the boy.

'My wish can only be granted by the one who holds the lamp.' said the genie.

'I hold the lamp…and I can grant your wish. What do you wish for?'

'My own happiness,' said the genie. 'I wish to be free.'

'Then I wish for you to be free and to have your own happiness,' said the boy.

What the genie did not realize was that the happiness he sought was right before his eyes. He grew to love young Sidney as his own and the boy's mother became his wife and they all lived together as a family," Belle finished.

"Kinda like us. We're a family…aren't we?" Aladdin asked.

"Yes, we are," the sultan said softly. He was about to get up when Aladdin touched his arm.

"Can you stay here?" Aladdin asked.

"Of course I can…but just for tonight."

"You can sleep beside me Belle," Jasmine added. "There's lots of room."

Belle crawled into bed beside Jasmine and leaned over to kiss the children goodnight. Rumple kissed both children on their foreheads then kissed his wife. Moments later they were all asleep.

The next morning Rumple summoned Cyrus to his counsel room. The Wonderland emissary and his wife were planning on leaving for Wonderland early the next morning but before he left, the sultan was curious to learn what the former Agrabah resident knew of Princess Jasmine.

"I heard rumors of a second child born to one of Sultan Amir's concubines," Cyrus confessed. "But she disappeared shortly after his son's death. You're saying she's here?"

"Yes. I found her and a boy named Aladdin living in a run-down cottage not far from here," Rumple answered. "And she confirmed it was Jafar who brought her here, to hide her from Amir…and me."

"She is the rightful heir to the throne of Agrabah."

"She is indeed and she will be restored to her rightful place when she reaches maturity. I will act as regent until then. Until I am certain she is safe, her presence in this palace must remain a secret."

"I will speak nothing of her," Cyrus said. "There is also another matter I wish to discuss with you."

"Oh?"

"With your permission…and my queen's, I would like to serve as an ambassador but reside here in Azarajan."

"What of your Alice? Does she not wish to return to Wonderland?"

"We've discussed it and she would like to live here as well."

"If Her Majesty agrees then I will gladly accept you into my court as an ambassador."

Belle and Rumple spent most of the week and all of the next helping their new children settle into the royal household and every night Belle would tell them one of her stories until they fell asleep, the sultan sometimes falling asleep with them. She would gently wake him and they retreated back to their own bedchamber, allowing him to fall asleep in her arms. Their intimacy was still restricted to kisses only she felt more emotion in them than she had before. She'd taken the valide's advice to heart and concentrated her efforts on healing her husband's mind and heart first.

When they weren't with their children or seeing to court affairs, the sultan and his wife would spend their time in the gardens conversing on whatever subjects were on their minds or he would be giving her weaving lessons. Some nights he even sat her before his old spinning wheel and taught her how to spin, pleased that she was eager to learn. She planned to put her skills to the test by making a garment for him.

She was in the harem with Aladdin, Jasmine and the rest of the sultan's daughters working on the cloak she planned to give him when he entered. "I would like to go riding this afternoon," he announced. Belle looked up and noticed that her husband seemed tense. She knew his schedule had been full that day of cases to judge and correspondence to review and he'd come close to losing his temper quite a few times.

"We would go, Papa….but we have some things we need to do today," Ruby spoke up. The others nodded their heads in agreement. They wanted their father to take this ride alone with his wife.

"I will accompany you, Rumple," Belle said softly and rose to her feet. "I shall be ready in an hour."

If there was one thing Jafar despised, it was delays. Foul weather delayed his men's journey to Azarajan but word had come via a messenger that they were now on land and waiting for the moment to attack. Jafar smiled and walked down to the dungeon where his two captives were being held and opened the door.

"You bastard!" Bae hissed. "Sooner or later the sultan will see you on the block."

"No, but you'll arrive just in time for the funeral…and my coronation."

"I'd rather die than serve you!" Emma spit.

"Off you go…but you will serve me eventually." Jafar sneered.

They'd been captured hours after leaving Zelena's house, the dove messenger sent to deliver their warning killed by an arrow fired by one of Jafar's mercenaries, cursing each other that they hadn't been aware they were being followed by one of Jafar's men the entire time. They were also troubled by the rumors that the former grand vizier had a spy in the sultan's household.

"I hope we're not too late," Bae mused as they rode back to the palace.

"We won't be," Emma said determinedly.

With three of their guards in tow, Rumple and Belle rode into the woods. Rumple signaled to them to stop and they dismounted.

"The sultana and I will walk a bit. You may rest here."

"My liege, it's…."

An arrow flew through the air and buried itself in the guard's chest. Belle screamed. Rumple drew his sword and he and his guards looked around to see if they could find the sniper. Out of the corner of his eye Rumple could see the shooter in the trees and threw the dagger from his belt in that direction. It buried itself in the man's chest. Belle removed the one the valide had given her from her boot. The elder woman had insisted that all of the women in the harem by armed and trained how to use the weapon should the need arise. Belle never thought that day would never come and now it seemed that it had. Three men approached them brandishing swords.

"Get the sultan and his bride to safety!" the surviving guard hissed to the other.

"No one's going anywhere," one of the attackers said.

"I wouldn't count on that, dearie!' the sultan hissed.

"You even know how to use that? From what we've heard you can't use either sword." another said and laughed.

Rumple reddened with rage and swung his sword, the blade clashing against his opponent's while the other two men fought with his guards. "Belle! Go!" he cried out to his wife.

"I'm not leaving you!"

"How sweet, maybe we will enjoy her first before we kill her."

"You'll be dying first!" Rumple snarled, swinging his sword again and slicing his opponent in the side, grateful he'd taken his mother's advice and kept up with his swordplay. His technique had been less than perfect until Bae and Graham began sparring with him on a weekly basis to be certain he could defend himself if need be. He looked on in horror as one of his two remaining guards fell to his opponent and moments later the second fell and they were approaching his wife. With another swing of his sword, his own opponent fell to the ground dead.

Rage like he'd never felt before surged through him when he heard her scream. He ran after them and found Belle face to face with the last of their attackers, the other one on the ground dead while she brandished a dagger at him, a dagger that he recognized as one of his mother's. He snuck up behind the other man and ran him through with the sword. Belle ran to him and threw her arms around him.

"Are you all right, my kadin?" he asked softly.

"Are you?"

"I am just very tired," he confessed and glanced over to where their guards lay.

"Oh, Rumple! How will we get them back to the palace?"

"I will have to send a litter back for them," he answered sadly and kneeled before his fallen guards. Selene, our mother, grant these men safe passage to your bosom for they have given their lives in honor," he prayed. Belle kneeled beside him and placed her hand on his shoulder. He reached up and grasped it in his. Reluctantly they rose to their feet and began walking to try to find their horses only they didn't catch sight of them, fearing they'd been spooked during the fight and took off. Minutes later it started to rain and while they were trying to climb down a hill Rumple slipped in the mud and tumbled down the side, screaming in pain.

"Rumple, Rumple! What's wrong?" Belle cried, kneeling at his side when she reached the bottom.

"It...it's broken..." he gasped, indicating his ankle.

"We must get back to the palace and have you tended to."

"Belle...we would never make it back there tonight. It's getting dark. We will need to find shelter quickly." He reached out and grasped the trunk of a tree to brace himself and slowly rose to his feet, hissing in pain at the pressure he was putting on his ankle. Belle grabbed his arm and draped it over her shoulders. He kept his ankle slightly elevated and hobbled on his other foot while Belle supported him.

"Rumple, there's a cave," she said, pointing to a large hole in a rock a few feet ahead of them and led him toward it. He stopped just before they reached the entrance, braced himself on the rock and drew his sword while she pulled her dagger out of its sheath.

"Stay behind me," he commanded softly.

"Rumple, be careful...your ankle."

"If anything happens to me I want you to try to get back to the palace and find any of the boys." he instructed.

"Rumple..."

"I want your word, Belle!" he said sharply.

"I will but I am not leaving you now."

He peered inside the cave. "It looks uninhabited but these caves are often sanctuaries for wolf packs or bears. We must keep alert in case they happen to show up," he said as they went inside. "It was in a cave like this that I found Graham and Ruby," he went on. "Wolf packs in these parts see humans as prey so it came as a surprise to me to find two children living amongst them but they were well cared for and the pack treated them as one of their own but they did not attack me when I decided to take the children with me."

"Maybe they sensed you would treat them well and were comfortable surrendering them to your care," Belle suggested. "Come, you need to sit down," she added gently and once he was sitting she cut some pieces from her cloak and wrapped them around his ankle to keep the wound dry and warm once she removed his boot.

"Where did you learn to do that?" he asked, impressed.

"The valide. I am told she educated all of the women in the harem to learn how to care for themselves or others if an injury occurs. You will have to have your ankle tended to once we get back to the palace but this should help keep it warm and dry."

He glanced out of the opening of the cave, frowning when he could see the clouds in the sky turning darker. "The storms here can be quite fierce, Belle and we may have to move further back into the cave if water starts coming in and it will get colder."

"How cold, Rumple? It is spring here."

"Yes but we are in the northern part of the country and it has a much colder climate at night which is why I planned for us to be back at the palace before night fell," he explained.

"And we are not dressed for this cold, are we?"

"No and our clothing is not dry either from the rain."

"But without a fire, how will we keep warm."

"We will have to share our body heat," he said.

She moved to sit on his lap, taking care not to disturb his ankle. "You should lie down, Rumple. It will be more comfortable for you."

"I'll be fine."

"No you won't. Lie down or I'll make you," she threatened, taking off her cloak and placing it behind him to make a makeshift pillow for his head.

"Belle, are you mad? You need all the layers you have on!"

She smiled. "Oh, I think I'll be warm enough."

Reluctantly he lay down and held out his arms to her. She went into them willingly and rested her head on his chest. "Are you in any pain now, my love?"

"It's not….what did you call me?" he inquired.

She raised her head and looked into his eyes. "My love," she said slowly. "For I do love you Rumplestiltskin. I've wanted to say it so many times in the past few weeks but I wanted to give you time to…"

Her last words were left a mystery as he kissed her. "And I love you, my kadin. I kept telling myself not to because you deserved someone more handsome…and younger."

"W….What did you say?" Belle croaked.

He felt as if every nerve in his body had come alive. Ignoring the pain in his ankle he reached for her again and pulled her back down to him, his lips seeking hers.

"I love you," he whispered again, the words acting like magic and the last of the effects of his mother's cursed potion disappearing, leaving him with the overwhelming desire to at last find the Paradise he'd been denied for so long with the woman he now held in his arms.

Belle sobbed with joy knowing that his condition was cured at last. "You don't know how long I've been dreaming of this day...and there's nothing more I want now than to make love with you…"

"This is not the proper place for your first journey into Paradise, my kadin," he said sadly. "Nor will it be in our bedchamber at the central palace. No, when I make love to you, it will be at my newly built palace, Serenity," he declared.

"You've had another palace built and you did not tell me? When?"

"It was being built before we met, my sweetheart. I wanted a palace where my family and I could escape to be ourselves without the pressures of court life and more privacy and our bedchamber there will give us all the privacy we need."

"Hopefully your mother will not have one of her spy tunnels in it," Belle muttered. "If I discover she has, it will be removed. I will not tolerate her intruding on our intimate moments any longer and I believe it's time she found herself a lover or a husband of her own."

He burst out laughing. "She's going to be quite put out, my kadin."

"I no longer care. Her meddling has caused you enough pain. Had she not given you that damned potion we would have already been to our Paradise many times and your child growing in my belly! I warned her that if she caused any issues between us that she would have a formidable opponent in me."

He chuckled. "I pity our son's bride when you become valide, my kadin. She will be quite put out as well."

"So she will if she hurts my child." Belle vowed, pressing her lips to his again, moaning softly as she felt his hands gently caressing her. "Rumple….darling….as much as I want to touch you….I don't want to cause you any more pain than you're already in."

"I barely feel it," he murmured, nuzzling her neck. "Touch me, Belle…" he commanded.

"I want to please you…"

"You already have, my sweetheart. You've made me believe I can be a real man again."

"Oh, Rumple…you always were," she said, bringing her lips to his.

Even as the cold set in, the lovers trapped inside the cave barely felt it seep into their bones as their passionate kisses and caresses created enough warmth to sustain them until they drifted off to sleep. Later that night an exhausted Emma and Bae arrived at the palace, horrified to find that the sultan and Belle hadn't returned from their ride and the valide had sent out a search party. They forgot their need to sleep and rode off to join the search, fearful Jafar's threat had come true and they would only find the bodies.


	7. He Made a Promise On The Morning Star

Many of the sultan's adopted children joined the search for their father and his bride, all of them well supplied in case the couple was injured. They didn't want to entertain thoughts that they would only find their remains. Graham and Ruby were leading the party as both were the most skilled trackers, having been taught by the wolf pack that had taken them in as children, all of them horrified when they came upon the scene of a brutal and bloody attack. All three of the sultan's guards were deceased as were, it appeared their attackers but there was no sign of the sultan or his bride.

Carefully they made their way down a hill, spotting a cave in the distance. The group dismounted their horses and approached the cave with torches in hand. They dared not make a sound in case it was inhabited by animals. Ruby and Graham waved the others back and glanced inside. "Bae, we've found them!" Ruby cried out as the light from her torch revealed that the only occupants of the cave were the sultan and his bride.

"Are they all right?" he asked worriedly.

Ruby crawled into the cave. "Papa, Papa, it's Ruby!" she called out.

"Mmmm….what….." the sultan asked sluggishly. Belle also awoke hearing the sultan's daughter calling to them while she shivered and huddled closer to her husband who was trembling as much as she was.

"Bae, we need the litter. The sultan is injured and we need to get them warm before the fever sets in!" Graham called out, noticing Rumple's bandaged ankle and the pair shivering while they clung to each other.

Jefferson and Phillip sprang into action, carrying the litter to the cave's entrance.

"Belle…." the sultan murmured.

"She's right here, Papa," Bae assured him.

"Cold….get her warm first….then tend to me…." he instructed.

"No…don't want to leave you…" Belle protested.

Bae gently lifted Belle into his arms and carried her out of the cave. Once they placed her on the litter Ruby and Snow wrapped her in layers of warm blankets.

"Rumple…don't want to be apart now…." Belle muttered. The two girls looked each other. Something had changed in the couple's relationship since they left the palace earlier in the day and not just because of the desperate situation they'd found themselves in. Bae and Jefferson carried the sultan over to the litter and placed him beside his wife, wrapping him in blankets as well.

The valide was pacing the palace halls nervously as she awaited news from the search party along with the rest of the family. When Jefferson, Graham, Bae and Phillip entered carrying the litter, the valide gasped and ran over to them, recognizing the symptoms of their condition immediately.

"Fetch the ladies Johanna and Regina and send for Victor!" she commanded Ashley. "And take them to their bedchamber."

"What's wrong with Papa Rumple and Mama Belle?" Jasmine asked worriedly. The valide kneeled down and embraced the young princess.

"They're not feeling well right now darling but we're going to make them all better," she explained.

"They're not gonna die, are they?" Aladdin inquired.

"No, honey. They're not going to die. Ashley please take Aladdin and Jasmine back to their rooms."

"Yes, my lady valide."

The children protested while the young servant led them away, begging to see Papa Rumple and Mama Belle. It tore at Ashley's heart yet she knew that it was better for the children not to see their parents ill. She was still haunted by memories of her mother's long struggle with illness and eventual death.

Once the couple was changed into their nightclothes and placed in their bed, Regina, Johanna and Victor began tending to them, ordering everyone else out of the chamber. None of them wanted to leave but understood the healers would better be able to concentrate on their task without interruptions.

They held vigil in the valide's chambers, Emma and Bae wracked with guilt that they had allowed themselves to be captured and returned home too late to stop the sultan and Belle from being ambushed.

"Judging from the amount of blood on the sultan's sword and Belle's dagger it appears that they managed to fight them off after the guards were killed," Graham said.

"Thank the goddess you talked him into keeping up with his swordplay, Baelfire," the valide said. "I know he does not like to use physical violence against anyone but I feared something like this would occur and I did not want him to be in a position where he could not defend himself if his guards were slain. Now that we know Jafar is plotting against him, he must be found."

"I'm sending some of my best men after him and I'm certain Zelena will get word to us if he shows up. We must also remember that pirate is on the loose and he must be captured as well."

"If I find him, I'll gladly run him through," Emma vowed.

"Something else besides seeking warmth from the cold happened between Papa and Belle in that cave. I am certain of it," Snow mused aloud. All heads turned in her direction.

"Snow, do you think they…?" Aurora asked.

"No," the valide replied. "My son knew it would have been far too dangerous to do so in those conditions. Still if you've noticed a difference in how they are behaving towards each other then their marriage is progressing for the better."

Several hours later Regina, Victor and Johanna entered the valide's chamber to deliver news of the couple's condition.

"We've managed to stave off any physical damage to their bodies from the cold with the remedies we have but the fever has set in on both of them but it is far worse in the sultan which is to be expected due to his age and the injury he sustained to his ankle," Victor explained. "An infection has set in though the sultana did try her best to prevent it by covering the wound. Also it is broken in a manner where it cannot be reset properly."

The valide gasped and pressed her hand to her heart. "W…What are you saying?" she whispered. "That…that…my son could…?"

"Our combined remedies can heal the fever, my lady valide, but the infection is a cause for concern because it is not responding to any of them. I will peruse my books and see if we cannot find a different one but there is a possibility we may have to amputate at the site of the infection to prevent it from spreading," Victor said gravely.

"No! You are not removing one limb from my son's body, you butcher!" the valide screamed. "Find another remedy!"

"My lady valide, even if we do treat the infection, the sultan will not be able to walk normally on that leg again and will require assistance with a staff or a walking stick."

"Then so be it. You will find another remedy and were the sultana aware of this, I am certain she would agree with me."

"I will study my own books, my lady valide, and see if there is a potion I can use that will help," Regina offered. "But if we cannot….his fate is in the goddess's hands."

"Then we will pray," the valide declared.

Word spread quickly throughout the country about the attack on the sultan and his bride and the illness that fell upon them after being stranded in the northern woods. They did not know his young bride well but for ten years Rumplestiltskin had been beloved by his people and it grieved them to know that there was a possibility that the goddess was summoning him to her bosom before his time.

Emma and Bae were standing out on the balcony on the second night, stunned when they glanced down at the palace gates and saw thousands of people outside them holding candles.

"My goddess," Emma breathed.

"I am told there is an even larger crowd holding vigil at the Temple of Selene," Oliver said as he approached them with Madeline and Maurice at his side. "The sultan has held their hearts from the beginning of his reign and now it seems they have grown to love Belle in the short time she has been his kadin. Has there been any news?"

Bae shook his head. Madeline buried her face in Oliver's shoulder and wept. Maurice fled the palace and retreated to the Temple of Selene to seek forgiveness from the goddess for his own sins, believing that his precious daughter's life was being taken as punishment. He believed he was alone in the chapel until he heard heartbroken sobs on the other side of him and turned to face the valide, instinctively reaching for her hand. They'd been enemies since they met but their grief over the prospect of losing their only children was now forcing them to comfort each other.

"Our sins always fall upon the shoulders of our children," the valide wept.

"I cannot lose my Belle….she is all I have," Maurice sobbed.

"It was due to your scheming with that viper that she and my son are in this condition!" she hissed, snatching her hand away. "Do not insult my intelligence by trying to deny it!"

"And there is nothing I wish more than to have listened to my daughter and not entered into an alliance with Jafar," he cried. "But I vow to you my lady valide that I will do everything in my power to make certain he never harms either of our children again!"

"Why should I believe you?"

"I am a father. You are a mother. Every parent will do what is necessary to protect their child."

"You intended to whore your daughter out to my son to try to weaken him!"

"I only wanted to place my daughter before the sultan in the hopes that she would regain our lands to rule in her own right!" he confessed.

"And the thought that Jafar would double cross you did not enter your mind?" the valide asked bitterly. "You are a foolish man and you made a foolish choice when you allied yourself with Jafar. My son offered you a peaceful solution and you did not take it. And now…now…" She burst into tears again.

"We will foil this plot," Maurice vowed, taking her hand again. This time she didn't pull away. "I know I am not deserving of it, but I am asking that we make peace for the sake of our children."

"If you are deceiving me, I will make certain that you go to the block," the valide said fiercely.

"I am not, my lady valide. All I want now is for my daughter to be happy. The sultan has treated her like the queen she deserved to be and I was a fool not to recognize it."

"And your daughter has a good heart and has given my son the love he needed so much," the valide confessed. "His happiness is all I have ever wanted."

With their hands clasped together, Maurice and the valide lowered their heads and resumed their prayers.

It fell to Snow to comfort Jasmine and Aladdin who were both missing Papa Rumple and Mama Belle terribly. She attempted to calm them by doing some of the things Rumple and Belle did but when she decided to read them a story instead of telling one before bed, both children threw a terrible tantrum and stormed out of the bedroom and tried to get into their parents room only to be pulled back by Bae and Emma.

"I want Papa Rumple and Mama Belle!" Jasmine screamed.

"Yeah!" Aladdin added.

"They're still very sick," Emma explained gently and she and Bae took the crying children back to their room, staying with them until they were asleep.

After four days and the combined skills of their healers, the sultan and his bride were able to rise from their sickbed, Rumple having to use a walking stick since he now had a pronounced limp in his left leg.

"What did happen out there, Papa?" Bae asked him while they were all gathered in the sitting room of the harem later in the evening. Jasmine and Aladdin were sleeping on pillows at Rumple and Belle's feet.

"We were attacked Bae. Did you see that my guards were brought back home and given proper burials?" Rumple inquired.

"We did," Emma answered. "And the valide is seeing that their families are cared for."

"And you have proof Jafar is behind it?"

"Yes. Zelena alerted us that men were setting sail for here heavily armed and Jafar taunted us with it while he held us captive. He released us so that we would arrive too late to warn you of the danger."

"Don't worry my liege, we'll find him," Emma said determinedly.

"What of Killian Jones?"

"We're still searching but haven't located him yet. Zelena will send us word if she sees him."

"For a price," the sultan reminded them. "Double your efforts. I want both of those men on the block and their heads on a pike before another attempt is made against me and my kadin."

"We'll get him, Papa."

"Now then, I've decided that in the morning we will go to Serenity."

Belle's heart raced hearing the name of Rumple's newly built palace knowing that once they arrived, their marriage would at last be consummated.

"Perhaps you should consider delaying your journey a few days," the valide suggested. Maurice glanced over at her, suspecting there was some agenda behind her request. In the days they'd been holding vigil while waiting for news of the children, the two of them had gotten to know each other more, much to the surprise of their children when they entered the sitting room and found them deep in conversation.

"May I ask why Mother?"

"You've only recently recovered from your illness Rumple and do not want to relapse," she answered.

"We're both fine, Mother," he insisted. "And I believe some time away from the central palace is what we all need. We will leave in the morning," he announced and kneeled down to wake his youngest children to take them back to their bedchamber and the rest of the family retreated to their own rooms for the night leaving the valide and Maurice alone in the room.

"Why do I suspect you have a different reason for asking your son to delay their journey, Tatiana?" Maurice demanded of the valide. He only called her by her birth name and was less formal with her when they were alone. It was how they both wanted it for the time being.

She smiled. "They are being very discreet but I know the effects of the potion I have given my son have been reversed and he is now ready to bed her properly. I have also been monitoring Belle's moon cycle carefully and if we have any hope of her conceiving our grandchild, their lovemaking must be delayed until she is at the peak of her fertility."

"And this will not be possible for another two days?" Maurice asked.

"I believe so." She smiled. "Must you return to your own bedchamber tonight?"

"Tatiana…don't you think it's a bit… too soon?" he stammered. He enjoyed her company as much as she enjoyed his but he wasn't ready for their relationship to be more than friendship. She lowered her head and sighed deeply. "And there are our children to consider…"

"I am sorry if I being too forward," she said softly. "I've enjoyed your company so much in these past few days. We may have started out as enemies but I see now that it was only out of love for your child that you acted as you did. Unfortunately, Jafar used that love against you. But now that we both know how dangerous he is, we can work together to protect our children and make certain that their marriage thrives." She sighed. "My own marriage was not a happy one."

"Mine was an arranged match," Maurice explained. "Claudette was a good woman but I did not love her. We both took lovers in secret, saying together only for Belle and the good of the kingdom."

"I did not love my husband or Zozo but I did love Rumple's father…deeply…until his death. I did not tell my son the truth of his parentage although sometimes I think he knows who his father is because he inherited his talent for spinning and weaving and his good heart."

"Our children will not repeat our mistakes, Tatiana. They will have a good marriage and with the goddess's help, a grandchild or two for us to spoil."

She laughed.

Once their younger children were tucked in, the sultan and his bride returned to their own bedchamber.

"Everyone suspects our feelings for each other have changed," Belle said to her husband when he went behind the changing screen to put on his nightshirt. "And I wish we were not under such scrutiny all the time."

"I'm afraid we always will be Belle," he said as he stepped out from behind it and crawled into bed to wait for her to change into her nightdress.

During the day he had other issues occupying his mind but at night it was difficult for him to contain his desire for her and his only comfort was that she longed for him as much. Neither of them felt comfortable being intimate in their bedchamber knowing that they were either being spied upon by the valide herself or one of her servants. He'd given strict orders that the palace was to be searched and the valide's spy tunnels and holes be covered up our destroyed before they returned from Serenity.

Belle stepped out from behind the screen in a blue and white silk and lace nightdress. The sultan was sitting on the bed with his back propped up against the pillows holding a book in his hands. She smiled, thinking he wanted her to read to him as he'd first suggested on their wedding night. Once she was sitting beside him in bed, he opened the book. Another smile formed on her lips as she read the elegant text written in Azarajan. She rested her head on his shoulder, understanding now why the valide had suggested they read The Garden of Delights together. It was indeed some of the most beautifully sensual artwork she'd ever seen and the words meant to inspire lovers throughout the seven kingdoms as it inspired them. Rumple closed the book and set it aside and kissed his wife with as much restraint as he had in the early days of their marriage. She did not need to ask why. They would not feel comfortable indulging their passion until the valide's spy holes were removed.

The next day's schedule of judgments pushed the sultan's patience to its limits. There'd been a brawl in the marketplace in a nearby village, an uprising in another when the lord increased his tax rate to the point where his people could not afford to pay them, a plague in another that forced him to send Victor and Regina to cure and care for the ill and several couples were asking him to grant them divorces, bickering as they did so. When she sensed her husband's temper was about to boil over, Belle stood up.

"Silence!" she screamed while she glared at the crowd. Everyone in the room fell silent including Maurice and the valide who were observing the day's events. "Clear this hall!" she commanded the guards who quickly moved to escort everyone out except for the royal couple. "Are you all right, my love?" she asked the sultan once they were alone.

"My head aches," he grumbled.

"Come, we will go to the bath," she said softly, linking his arm though hers and leading him out of the main hall and out to the bathhouse. He was already in the pool when she walked in and turned his back until she removed her robe and was in the water with him. "Are you feeling better, my love?"

"Much better," he murmured. "Were you upset that I turned my back to you again?"

"No. Soon there will be no need for us to hide anything from each other. Promise me we will not delay our journey a day longer," she pleaded.

"We will leave in the morning," he vowed.

It was a two day journey by coach to the southern islands. The children, not used to such long trips were restless and Belle and Rumple attempted to keep them entertained by reading to them or having Belle tell one of her stories. More often than not one or both of them would fall asleep before the children and if the children were asleep, they passed the time weaving.

Rumple awoke his bride with a kiss when the coach entered the front gates of the palace. She stepped out and gazed up at the building, gasping in wonder.

"It…it is beautiful."

In the palace square was a large fountain that did not have a figurehead. "It is not complete but it will be," he explained. "I was not certain what I wanted it to be until recently."

"Are you going to tell me?"

He grinned impishly. "No."

Once they were in the main hall, some of the tapestries had a familiar design to them, one that she'd seen her husband weaving when he had the time to do so. Others were done by his daughters or the valide. Belle's own weaving skills were improving under his tutelage and she was nearly finished with the robes she wanted to present to him as a gift.

"Our bedchamber," he whispered into her ear, throwing open the double doors to the room in the farthest corner of the palace, more beautiful than their bedchamber at the main palace Arcadia. In her mind she could already see them entwined on the grand bed, putting an end to the torment they'd endured since the night her husband's desire was awakened but as eager as they were to consummate their union that first night, it had been an exhausting journey and at the end of the day when they sought their bed it was only to sleep.

They spent all of the second day with their family, both of them pleased to see their parents getting along. They were not yet lovers but the sultan suspected they would be soon enough if the valide wished it to be so and in turn both parents were pleased to see their children more relaxed now that they were away from their royal duties for the time being. The sultan however, was kept informed of events in the capital city by Bae, Emma, Mulan and Phillip. Jafar still hadn't been located nor had Killian Jones.

"Why don't Maurice and I tuck the children in tonight?" the valide said to Rumple and Belle when they noticed the two youngsters dozing off later on that evening.

"And I can tell them one of Belle's stories," Maurice offered.

"You know them as well as I do," Belle affirmed. She enjoyed tucking Aladdin and Jasmine in for the night but this would give them a chance to spend some time with their grandparents. Maurice picked up the children and followed the valide down the hall to their room.

The sultan rose from his own chair and took Belle's hand in his, leading her down the hall to their bedchamber. The moment the doors closed behind them he took her into his arms and kissed her fiercely.

"I can wait no longer, my sweetheart."

"Nor can I," she whispered.

"You do know there may be some…discomfort at first?" he asked nervously. "It is not pain I will enjoy inflicting on you."

She smiled and caressed his cheek. "Many husbands would not be concerned about that as long as the deed was done but you, my love, are not like most husbands. And it is for that reason that I love you. Make me a true wife, Rumple."

He swung her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed, ignoring the sharp pains in his leg from the added weight and lay her down, kissing her again. In the back of his mind he still worried that she would not want him once she saw all of him. As if she sensed his anxiety, she looked into his eyes.

"Let me see you," she pleaded. "And I will hide nothing from you…"

They undressed each other slowly, taking the time to explore every inch of flesh they uncovered with their mouths and hands, reassuring each other with sweet kisses and gentle caresses that the love they felt for each other was based on far more than how they looked or how many years separated them.

"Belle?" Rumple asked hesitantly as he gazed into her eyes again. Once the deed was done there would be no taking it back and he wanted to be certain this was she wanted.

"Make me your true wife," she said again.

"I am sorry Belle," he whispered.

She couldn't have loved him any more than she did at that moment, his soothing words comforting her while the discomfort she felt when he first entered her began to fade away and she held him tightly to her, whispering her love for him and hearing him express his for her as they began their journey to their Paradise and at last when they found it, the joy they felt brought them both to tears. As exhaustion overtook him, Rumple collapsed in his wife's arms, his head resting on her breasts. She kissed his forehead and stroked his hair gently the way she did every night since their wedding night.

"Are you all right, my sweetheart?" he asked, raising his head to kiss her.

"I'm perfect," Belle murmured.

"Then you are not in any pain?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Because…" he swallowed nervously. "My first two kadins…"

"Exaggerated so that they could make you believe they were innocents," Belle said bitterly. "No, darling. You were so gentle with me that I barely felt the pain. I want it to always be like this when we make love."

He chuckled. "Such high expectations you have for me, my kadin."

She surprised him by turning him over so that she was straddling him. "And for myself, my love, for I am determined to learn how to please you as you please me."

"Ahh, now I understand why you insisted on spending so much time reading that particular chapter in the Garden of Delights. Show me what you've learned, my kadin," he murmured.

She made love to him as tenderly as he had to her and it was her turn to be surprised when he reached for her and pulled her back beneath him, covering her face with kisses before he took her again.

"I intend to spend the entire night making love to you," he growled, nuzzling her breasts.

"I'm looking forward to it," she purred.

"Wanton!" he teased.

"Only for you, my darling…now would you please stop talking and kiss me…"

"Are you giving me a royal command?"

"I am…now kiss me!" she ordered with a smirk.

"You are going to drive me mad!"

"And I want you give me a child," she added.

"My goddess, woman! When did my sweet and gentle bride become such a demanding wanton?"

"When her husband showed her the way to Paradise," Belle whispered. "Kiss me Rumple…."

"As you wish…"

"Where do you think you're going, Tatiana?" Maurice demanded when he spotted the valide attempting to open a door in the wall near the sultan's bedchamber.

"I must know!" she cried.

"No! You will not spy on them!"

"Are you not curious as to whether they have consummated their marriage yet?"

"I am but I will let them tell me themselves. Now come back to bed."

"Not yet."

"Yes, now." He reached for her and threw her over his shoulder and started walking back to her bedchamber.

"Maurice!" she cried. "Put me down."

"I warned you, madam."

"I…I'll yell for the guards!"

"The only yelling you will do, madam is in your bedchamber and for a much different reason," he added, playfully swatting her backside.

"Oh, will I?" the valide hissed. "I should never have taken you into my bed, you infuriating man!"

He kicked the door open to the valide's bedchamber and deposited her on the bed, chuckling. "You're the most infuriating woman I've ever met I still want you, dammit all."

She laughed. "We are quite a pair, aren't we?"

"Like our children," he said softly, still astounded that even as his daughter found love he was finding it himself and in the most unlikely of women.

The sultan rose just before sunrise, put on his robe and walked out to the terrace. He gazed up at the sky and in the east he could see the morning star shining brightly. He was not one to wish on stars, but he was one to make promises on one.

I will give all I have to be deserving of the love she has given me, he thought, glancing back into the bedroom at his sleeping wife. And I will give her a child and an heir for my throne. I will try to control my temper more.

The last promise would be a bit more difficult but he would try.

Belle yawned and stretched in the bed, stunned to find herself alone at sunrise. She jumped out of bed and put on her robe, wondering where her husband was. When she stepped out onto the terrace she smiled softly when she found her husband asleep in a chair. She leaned over and gently kissed him awake.

"Good morning darling," she greeted softly.

"Belle…oh….did I fall asleep out here?"

"Yes, but why?"

"I was feeling a bit restless and didn't want to wake you so I came out here."

"It is going to be a lovely day," she observed, glancing up at the clear sky with the sun shining down on them. He rose from his chair and took her hand in his.

"There is something I would like to show you but you'll need to close your eyes."

"Why?"

"It's a surprise."

"Oh?"

He smiled, waved his hand over her eyes to be certain she wasn't peeking and led her out to the palace square. "All right, you may open your eyes now."

Belle gasped when she glanced up at the fountain to see a marble statue with her likeness in the center. "Rumple….I…I don't know what to say…"

"I could think of nothing more beautiful to complete the fountain than a likeness of my beloved kadin," he whispered.

She threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately. "I love you so much…" she sobbed.

"And I love you, my Belle. More than I've ever loved anyone in my life."

"Now does that tell you what you need to know, Tatiana?" Maurice demanded of the valide while they were standing on the balcony of the valide's bedroom looking down at their children as they kissed passionately in the palace square.

"It does," the valide murmured. "And if she is not yet with child, she soon will be."

"Then you'll sealing up that spyhole?"

"Yes, I will," she promised, smiling again when she saw her son pick up his wife and carry her back into the palace.

"Rumple…you mustn't…your leg…" Belle protested.

"My leg is fine, sweetheart," he lied.

"You tell me that now but later you will not be able to walk," she cried. "I know you're trying to be romantic for me and I love you for it but not at the expense of you having to remain in bed all day."

"What if that was my intention, my kadin?" he teased.

"And you call me a wanton!" she giggled.

"We have lost time to make up for," he reminded her.

Thomas and Ashley were concerned when they approached the doors to the royal bedchamber and found them locked. As Thomas was about to knock, the sounds he heard coming from behind those doors caused him to chuckle and his bride to blush. They scurried down the hall to the kitchens to discreetly inform the cook that the sultan and his bride would not be having breakfast that morning.

Two hours later the royal couple snuck out of their bedchamber and out to the bathhouse. Soon the rest of the family would be awake and they wanted a little more time alone first. Rumple shocked his bride when he left her in the dressing hall and went into the bathing hall alone.

Surely he cannot still be self-conscious about his body unclothed now, she thought. She'd seen all of him in the privacy of their bedchamber and believed he was still a handsome man at his age and the kind of lover she'd dreamed of now that the potion was reversed. They were discovering more ways to please each other every time they made love and not all of them were found in the Garden of Delights. She stalked into the bathing hall and looked around, upset that she couldn't see her husband.

"Rumplestiltskin, you are not doing this now!" she cried.

"Doing what?" he asked coming up from underneath the water at the edge of the pool and startling her.

"Hiding from me. We are past that now!" she cried.

"Are we, my kadin? You seem to still be wearing your robe?" he teased.

"Oh no! You are not putting me at a disadvantage. My robe stays on until you come out!"

He smirked and disappeared under the water again.

"Ooooohhhh!" she pouted, stripping off her robe and diving into the water. "Now where are you?"

"Right here," she heard him say huskily when he popped up in front of her and pulled her into his arms.

"I'm angry at you," she said firmly.

"Oh, are you?" he murmured, pressing his lips to hers. "What about now?"

"Yes!"

"And now…?" he inquired as he kissed her again more passionately.

"Y….Yes!"

"Now?" he asked again, his hands slowly moving up her torso until they were caressing her breasts. She moaned softly and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him back with as much passion as he'd kissed her, her anger quickly forgotten.

The valide and Maurice woke Jasmine and Aladdin from their slumber to take them to the bathhouse. Both children were still half asleep and terribly cranky as their own children often were at that age during the early hours of the morning.

"I'll take Jasmine in first," she said to Maurice.

"All right."

When they reached the closed doors to the bathhouse the valide heard sounds that stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Grannie Tati…what's that noise? Sounds like someone's in pain."

Oh Goddess, help me! How am I going to explain this?!

"I will find out. Would you please go back to the dressing hall with Pappy Maurice dear?" she suggested.

"Okay." The little girl said and ran off. She had her hopes of who was in that room and they were confirmed when she opened the door a bit to find her son and his new bride inside indulging in some rather passionate lovemaking. She quickly closed the door before they were alerted to her presence and returned to the dressing hall.

"Tatiana, what's going on in there?"

She smiled. "Let's bring the children back later."

"Are you saying they're in there…?"

She nodded.

"In the bath?"

She nodded again.

"Goddess's nightdress!" Maurice cried. "Of all places…"

"You have much to learn Maurice," the valide murmured.

The next two months felt like a dream for the sultan and his bride. They were rarely out of each other's company and enjoyed the times they spent with their large family. Rumplestiltskin was never happier in his life yet couldn't shake the feeling in the back of his mind that it would not last.

Zelena smiled triumphantly while Jafar struggled to free himself from the shackles that confined him to her bed.

"Bitch! Whore!"

"Go on. I've heard them all. They don't hurt me." She pulled her dagger from her belt and ran it across his face. "We had some good times together love but right now the only thing I want more is to drive this into your black heart!"

"Why?"

"Justice!" she hissed. "You killed our son!"

"He died in battle."

"A battle he was not supposed to fight! You should've made a truce with the sultan of Azarajan but it never would have satisfied you. You wanted the throne."

"It should've been mine! I had a much of right to it as those other weaklings Amir spawned. No, more! I was the eldest."

"And also a bastard. Amir never would have given you the throne being born on the wrong side of the blanket even if he had known you were his son. He cared nothing for you. So you have his son strangled and leave his daughter to die while you send our son to battle for your throne. It was as if you had run him through with your own sword!" she cried. "I will not shed a single tear when you lose your head on the sultan's execution block!"

She spun on her heel and left the room. "Take him. I never want to see his face again!" she said to Bae and Emma.

"You may think you've won but you haven't. The sultan will die…and so will his precious wife," Jafar sneered while he was being taken away.

"Thank you Zelena. The sultan will be most grateful…and saddened as well for your loss. Why didn't you tell him?" Bae inquired.

"Because the sultan is a good man and would blame himself for my Isaac's death. The fault lies with the man who sired him. And now my precious child can rest," she said softly. "But the threat to the sultan remains. You must return to Azarajan immediately. And then I must ask the sultan for justice again."

"What do you know, Zelena?" Emma asked.

"It is Killian Jones. One of the potions the valide gave me as payment loosened the bloody pirate's lips a bit the last time he was here. He is now on his way to the sultan's second palace to take the sultana."

"What? No one is supposed to know about the second palace. No one but family."

"A person of trust in the sultan's household has betrayed him," Zelena said sadly.

"Who?"

"Oliver."

"Oliver, the palace historian? But why?"

"He believes the sultana has made Rumplestiltskin weak and was promised the throne by Jafar." She scoffed. "As if that man ever lives up to his promises. He is I am certain, on his way to the palace now to tell the sultan of the original plot conceived by Jafar and Maurice to use Belle against the sultan only Maurice discovered the truth after his daughter was attacked and wants no part of it."

"Oh no," Bae moaned. "If Papa thinks Belle has betrayed him….it will break his heart!"

"It will break even more if Jones kills Belle once he finds out the truth!" Emma cried. "We have to stop him!"

"I would like to come with you," Zelena said.

"Why?"

"I must ask the sultan for one last act of justice if we succeed in stopping Jones."

"For whom."

"That is something I will only discuss with him."

"I suppose you could come along." Bae said.

In the captain's quarters of the Jolly Roger, two men were in deep discussion about the final stages of the plan Jafar was no longer in a position to execute.

"How do you plan on getting the woman out of the palace?" Jones asked.

Oliver laughed. "She will be drugged from a sleeping powder placed in her tea as will the sultan."

"What if Madeline alerts them to the danger?"

"She knows what I'll do if she defies me," Oliver said cruelly. He was always careful not to mark her in ways that would be visible to the royal couple or anyone else. "Just be ready when I arrive. Once the poor sultan learns he's been lied to, he'll want to recover his precious bride," he added sarcastically.

"And then…then…he can suffer as I did when he sent my Milah to the block by watching his precious bride sink to the bottom of the sea!" Jones sneered.

Oliver stood in the palace square glaring up at the marble likeness of the woman he blamed for the sultan's weakness as of late. He'd been falling all over himself like a love struck schoolboy and being far too lenient in his judgments only because it was what she wanted. Even the valide hadn't been able to stay Zozo's hand when it came to exerting his authority but all that whore Belle had to do was turn her eyes on him and he obeyed her like a dog in heat.

Bitch. This will not be a sultanate of women!

"Beautiful, isn't it?" the sultan said softly.

Disgusting.

"My liege, I am afraid I have some terrible news. I've just received word that another plot has been underway to overthrow you and a person close to you has been named."

"Who is it?" the sultan demanded angrily.

He took a deep breath for dramatic effect. "Your wife….and her father."

The sultan stepped back, his eyes wide with horror. "No…that's not possible. Jafar is the one responsible. I have been told this."

"They have been conspiring with him, my liege. The plot was as you suspected all along to place the girl before you to weaken you."

"I have not been weakened and you had better have evidence of this!" the sultan snarled.

"Maurice has been overhead confessing all to the valide in hopes of gaining her trust…and there are rumors he has taken her to his bed. I am sorry my liege. I know you loved her but she has betrayed you must cruelly…"

Rumple turned away, trying desperately to hold back his tears and the pain in his heart. Maurice's sudden turnabout when it came to Jafar had aroused his suspicions but he hadn't questioned it because he was otherwise occupied…according to plan.

Just as they planned it, he thought bitterly. Vipers, the lot of them and none so deadly as the one with the face of an angel and the heart of whore!

Oliver was smirking with satisfaction when he saw the sultan storm back into the palace.

Belle was sitting on the terrace sipping her tea and waiting to have lunch with her husband when she heard the double doors to their bedchamber open with such force that they nearly came off their hinges. She turned about in her chair and gasped with shock when she saw him approaching her, his face red with rage.

"You witch!" he hissed.

"Rumple….darling…what's wrong?"

"Don't play innocent with me!" he roared. "I know it all!"

"What could I have possibly done to make you look at me with such anger in your eyes?"

"What have you done? What have you done?" he laughed harshly. "Oh you are clever one, aren't you but the game is over. I knew this was too good to be true, should have known you were too good to be true. You never loved me!"

"That's not true!" Belle cried, jumping to her feet. "I love you more than my life. Who has caused you to doubt me?"

"Then you deny you and your father conspired with Jafar to remove me from my throne? Answer me!"

"Of course I deny it! As I denied it the day of our betrothal. My father and I are innocent."

"We'll see about that, dearie! I should…I should send you to the block for what you've done to me but I think a far worse punishment is more suitable for you. You are banished as of this moment and forfeit the title of Haseki Sultan. In two days' time your father will go to the block and you will watch as his head is struck from his body and you will know your whoring has gained you nothing! Now get out of my sight!"

"No," Belle said firmly.

"No?"

"You believe I don't love you. You're wrong. I do love you more than my life and because I love you, I will uncover the truth behind these lies," she said bravely. "Give me two days to prove my father's and my innocence."

"You dare to make demands on me now, you whore?"

"I am not speaking to the sultan of Azarajan. I am speaking to my husband. You must know, deep in your heart, that none of this sounds right. Please, Rumple. It is the last thing I'll ever ask of you if you still wish me to go."

"You have two days," he said coldly. "Now get out!"

"I love you, Rumple. And I will expose all of this for what it is…lies," she said and closed the doors behind her, hearing a crash as her husband unleashed his temper.

"Ashley!" Belle called out. The servant girl rushed to her side.

"Yes, my lady sultana."

"Send for my father…someone has told the sultan vicious lies about us and I will get to the bottom of it. I…." Belle suddenly felt her eyelids getting heavy and had difficulty keeping her balance. She sank to the floor.

"My lady sultana!" Ashley cried.

"W…Warn the sultan….a sleeping draught…in our tea…" Belle murmured and sank into unconsciousness. The servant girl rose, ready to do her mistress's bidding when she was struck on the head and dragged to another room where two of the sultan's guards were asleep from the same drugged tea.

Oliver rolled up the carpet with the sleeping Belle inside and carried it out to an awaiting coach. He tossed it onto the seat across from him.

"To the harbor," he commanded his driver.


	8. So She Came To Stay

The valide and Maurice were going to the sultan's bedchamber to at last reveal their secret when she heard a crash. She ran into the suite with Maurice at her heels, horrified when she saw her son destroying anything he could get his hands on.

"Rumple, Rumple…Rumple! Stop!" she screamed. "What's wrong?"

"She….she lied to me Mother. She never loved me!" he wept, sinking to his knees on the floor holding a chipped cut from the tea set in his hands. "But fool that I am, I loved her!"

"I cannot believe that," the valide whispered. "Where is she?"

"Gone…I told her to leave. They were plotting against me Mother, just as we feared. She and her father." He looked up at Maurice. "YOU! I'll see you on the block you bastard!"

"I am no longer part of any plots and my Belle wasnever part of it. She loves you!"

Rumple rose to his feet and glared at his father in law. "And why should I believe you now?"

"Because I do," the valide declared. "As I believe in Belle's love for you."

"Mother…he's seduced you…just like she did me."

"No, darling, he hasn't. And neither has Belle seduced you. We fell in love, Rumple. But now someone is attempting to drive a wedge between us with their lies. Who has made you question Belle?"

"Oliver has told me everything and he has not denied there was a plot with Jafar," he yelled, pointing at Maurice. "I gave her two days to prove your innocence. Get your affairs in order for if she does not, you die on the block!"

"No!" the valide cried. "Don't you see Rumple….Oliver is jealous of Belle, that's why he said what he did! It has to be."

"He has never lied to me before."

"He is now Papa," they heard a voice say from the doorway. "Dammit! We are too late! Always too late!" Bae moaned.

"Bae….please…tell me the truth! I need to hear it from someone who has never lied to me!" Rumple pleaded.

"Belle was never involved in any schemes Papa. She loves you." Bae insisted and Rumple knew to believe when the words were spoken by his precious son. He felt a sense of relief and also guilt for allowing himself to be tricked into doubting Belle's love for him. Even as he was speaking to her so harshly, she held her ground. It was more than he deserved. He doubted she would ever forgive him.

"But I'm afraid we may already be too late to stop them from carrying out the last part of their plan," Emma said sadly when she joined them. "Bae, one of the servants said they saw Oliver carrying a carpet out of the palace. It looks like the one from the hall and Zelena found Ashley and two of the guards in one of the other rooms. Ashley's been assaulted and the sultana said her tea was drugged."

"And Jones's ship is at the harbor," added Zelena.

"That bastard has my kadin!?" the sultan howled. He grabbed his walking stick and stormed out of the bedchamber.

"Rumple, what are you doing!' the valide cried.

"Taking my kadin back!" he yelled.

"Papa, you can't go! It's a trap!" Bae called after him.

"I don't care. It's my fault that pirate has her and if he wants to kill me, he can certainly try!"

"You can't fight him alone!" Emma yelled.

"I am NOT a coward!"

"We're not saying you are. It's too dangerous!"

They continued to protest while he hobbled out to the stables to mount his horse. He left a cloud of dust behind him as he rode away with Bae, Emma, Jefferson, Graham and Mulan in pursuit.

Jones stood on the deck of the Jolly Roger frowning when Oliver boarded carrying a rolled up carpet over his shoulder.

"What the hell do I need a carpet for?" he asked.

"What's more important is what's inside it," Oliver said with a grin and unrolled it to reveal the sultan's sleeping bride.

Jones smiled. "She is a beauty." He glanced over at one of his crew members and nodded. The man drew his sword and ran the palace historian through, tossing him into the sea. "Quite the beauty," he murmured, cupping her breast in his palm.

"Violate my kadin again with that hand, pirate and I will sever it from your arm!" Rumple snarled as he stepped onto the deck of the Jolly Roger, removing his sword from his walking staff.

"Well, well, I'm surprised, crocodile. You think you can handle that sword? You're not much better with the flesh one either." Jones taunted as he rose to his feet.

"Said the whore who now rots headless in the darkest pit in Hell," Rumple retorted.

"You want to cross blades with me. Go on then. I'll be running you through soon enough."

"You underestimate me…pirate!"

In the months since his injury Baelfire and the other palace guards had been teaching their sultan new defensive tactics he could use along with his more limited swordsman skills including how to balance properly so that he did not put too much strain on his disabled limb. He was tiring quickly but the need to protect his bride from the pirate with lecherous intentions gave him the strength he needed to continue the duel and seizing his opportunity, he sliced the hand that had dared to touch his beloved wife from the arm. Jones howled in pain. "Toss the bitch overboard!" he commanded.

"No…" Rumple moaned in agony while a crew member picked up Belle and threw her off the side of the ship. Without a moment's hesitation, he dived in after her, swimming under several feet before he finally reached her.

Belle. I am so sorry, he thought sadly, his arm encircling her waist while he tried to pull them back up to the surface only he was exhausted after fighting the pirate and could feel his strength giving out. He didn't want the hurtful, angry words he'd spoken to her to be the last between them. Now he feared they would and she would go into the afterlife without knowing that he loved her and he didn't want to go on living without her.

"Easy enough," Jones said and laughed and tied a robe around his injured limb to ease the blood flow. As he leaned over to pick up his severed hand he saw a sword being brandished in his face.

"Bae! Help the sultan. I'll deal with this bastard!" Emma said through gritted teeth while she and the rest of the guards boarded the ship. Bae dived into the water in search of Rumple and Belle.

"I've got a better sword for you to handle, love," Jones taunted, as he sized up his new opponent. His arm hurt like hell but he'd stopped the blood flow and he wasn't about to pass up a good fight. At least the bastard crocodile hadn't gotten his sword hand.

"I've handled better ones, pirate and yours wouldn't hold my interest," Emma retorted, swinging her blade again. They crossed in the air.

"Well, then, why don't we see how well you can handle yours?" Jones challenged, swinging his own to deliver a deadly blow that she quickly blocked while the rest of their forces crossed blades with Jones's crew. The pirate and the female warrior were equally matched, Jones was impressed. He'd never seen a woman fight with such skill. "You should join my crew."

She scoffed. "Never, sea scum! My loyalty is to my sultan and my country." Their blades clashed again. Emma focused hard; searching for any opening she could find to turn the tide in her favor. It was one of the first lessons Bae taught her along with never allowing your opponent to see your fear.

The other members of Bae's army watched his lover with interest while they took the pirate's crew into custody. They'd only seen Emma sparring with Bae in the practice grounds while the rest of the time she was running spy missions for the sultan, remembering when they'd all laughed at her when it was first announced that she would be joining the army. There had never been a female officer among their ranks before and Emma knew she would have to prove herself to them. Finally she saw her opportunity and brought the pirate crashing to the deck, his sword falling out of his hand. She crouched over him and pointed the tip of her sword at his throat.

"Take this filthy piece of scum into custody!" she snarled. Two of her fellow officers hauled the pirate up and shackled him.

Rumple and Bae broke the surface, Rumple's arm holding Belle tightly while Bae supported him and they swam over to the dock. Bae climbed out first and reached for Belle, laying her gently on the dock and turning her over to try to force the water out of her lungs while Rumple kneeled beside her, his eyes filled with tears.

It's my fault….I let her go….

Finally they heard the young woman cough and a small puddle of water escaped her lips.

"R...Rumple?" she asked weakly. The sultan took his bride into his arms and crushed her against his chest, sobbing with joy.

"Belle...my darling Belle," he murmured as he kissed her. He glanced back at the Jolly Roger where his soldiers escorted a shackled Killian Jones and his crew off the ship with Emma behind them. Take him to the Dark Castle!" he commanded.

"I'll have my revenge on you yet, crocodile!" Jones raged.

"You won't live long enough for it, dearie!" the sultan snarled.

"You can do your crowing in the Dark Castle until you face the executioner's axe," Jefferson said to the prisoner as he and Graham dragged the screaming man away. Rumple stood up with his wife in his arms and with Bae and Emma at his side, they climbed into his boat to row back to the palace.

"I don't know what I would've done had I lost you," he whispered, gently brushing a stand of hair out of her eyes. She reached up and caressed his cheek. "I'm so sorry...I didn't mean what I said...I love you."

"And I love you, my Rumple." she whispered and their lips met again. "I told you…I love you more than my life."

"I don't deserve your forgiveness."

"But I do forgive you. And we will flush out any others who threaten our kingdom and our marriage," she vowed. He kissed her again, his forehead resting against hers.

The valide and Maurice were waiting at the dock, the valide wringing her hands in worry as were the sultan's children, terrified for their parents. When they saw the boat approaching the valide breathed a sigh of relief then cried out when she saw Belle nestled in Rumple's arms, both of them soaking wet.

"What happened?" she cried.

"Mother, there is no time. We must have lady Johanna examine Belle immediately!" Rumple said urgently while Bae helped him out of the boat. She followed them into the palace, shouting out orders. "I want everyone out except for the lady Johanna when she arrives, the valide and myself!" Rumple barked. They placed Belle on the bed and helped her out of her wet gown and into a dry nightdress. Rumple crawled into bed beside her and held her protectively. "He tried to drown her, Mother! My beautiful kadin….he tried to drown her like a rat and I almost let him get away with it because of my blindness!" he sobbed.

"My darling….please…I'm here now…." Belle soothed.

"I'll never doubt your love again!" he vowed.

"You have loved my son more than any other woman in his life…including me in the brief time you've been his bride," the valide said. "I never doubted you, nor will I."

There was a knock on the chamber door. "My lady valide!" Johanna called out.

"Come!" the valide ordered. The midwife and healer entered the bedchamber and kneeled.

"My liege….I must ask you to let go of the sultana while I examine her," she said gently. She'd never seen him so upset and feared invoking his wrath.

"Yes, yes….fine," he muttered and reluctantly detached himself from his wife and crawled out of bed. His mother put her arm around his shoulders and helped him over to the changing screen.

"You need to get out of those wet clothes, dear," she advised. He undressed and changed into his nightshirt in a daze, wanting nothing else than to crawl back into bed with his wife and hold her. Thinking again about how close he'd come to losing her brought him to tears again. The valide stepped behind the screen and embraced him. "She'll be all right Rumple."

Together they stepped out from behind the screen. Johanna was standing beside the bed speaking to Belle.

"I am well except for some…changes I've had in my body recently," Belle was telling the healer. "My breasts are a bit more…sensitive but I assumed it was due to…." She blushed before she could say more.

"How long have you had this sensitivity in your breasts my lady sultana?" she was inquiring.

"Well…ummm…for at least two moons."

"Anything else….nausea in the morning? Changes in your eating habits? Fatigue?"

"Sometimes."

"What does it mean?" the sultan inquired. "Is she ill?"

"My lady sultana….have you missed your moon cycle?"

"Yes."

"Will you answer my question….is she ill?!" the sultan demanded impatiently.

"No darling she is with child," the valide said softly.

"She is indeed, my lady valide." the midwife confirmed.

"Belle…" Rumple whispered running over to the bed and throwing his arms around her.

"Oh Rumple," she sobbed. "I am with child….our child!"

"How long..?" he asked close to tears himself.

"From what the sultana has told me, she will deliver in seven moons' time…if not sooner," Johanna answered.

"Then that means…." Belle whispered as she gazed into her husband's eyes. "I have been with child since the first night we made love…" She then glanced over at the valide. "That is why you insisted we wait so you could be certain I would conceive."

Rumple scowled and glared at the valide. "I should have known! Mother, will you ever stop meddling in my life?" he cried.

"This is the last time, darling," she assured him.

"I am going to hold you to that promise!"

"As will I," Belle said. "Though your intentions were honorable, my lady valide, Rumple and I will have more privacy in this marriage. Beginning tomorrow, we will be having every one of your spy holes and tunnels covered both here and at Arcadia."

"You only need the ones to your bedchamber removed…" the valide protested.

"Mother!" Rumple grumbled. "They will all be removed and I won't hear another word about it!"

"All right," the valide said with a sigh. "Come, Johanna, we must give them some time alone."

"I should have known better than to doubt you," Rumple said once the doors were closed behind them and he crawled into bed taking her into his arms. He didn't dare mention her father's involvement in the original plan. It was painful enough for her that he'd suspected her.

"I could throttle the person who filled your head with such lies. Who was it?"

"Oliver."

Belle gasped. "Why?"

Rumple sighed deeply. "He believes you weaken me, preventing me from making sound decisions. In all the years I have been sultan I have strived not to be as ruthless as Zozo in my decisions but sadly, that is what he and many others wanted me to be. I can be harsh but I do not take pleasure in it."

"I know my love and I fear that had their plan succeeded it would have turned your heart cold. Was there anyone else plotting against you?"

He looked away. "Rumple?" she pressed.

"No," he said quickly.

"It was my father…as you suspected all along…wasn't it?" she asked.

"Belle…"

"Wasn't it?"

"It no longer matters."

"It does to me! Rumple, please. I must know."

"Yes….he was involved in the original plot but once we were attacked he confessed all to Mother. Oliver was having all of us spied upon and overheard the confession. Maurice did not deny it and I would have gladly gone to my grave without your knowing this!"

"I needed to know."

"Forgive him as you have forgiven me," the sultan pleaded.

"Rumple…"

"It would not be fair, my sweetheart, for me to be deserving of your forgiveness for how much I have hurt you and your father not to be. He gave you life and he loves you."

"He…he was going to sit idly by and let them kill you! And they would have killed me as well!"

"But they didn't, Belle," he pointed out. "We will have a child in seven moons time and I do not want our child coming into a family divided."

"Do you forgive him?"

"Yes. He was willing to defend you to me at the risk of his own life and….he's done something no other man in my mother's life has since Rolando…earned her love and respect."

"Rolando?"

"He was my real father, Belle. I never told my mother but the cheat she married admitted the truth to me after too many pints of ale. I'd always suspected a kinship between us because I was told I resembled him closely and could spin and weave as well as he could."

"She told me not longer after we were wed but I felt it was not my place to tell you. I knew Papa and she were close but I never suspected they are lovers." She laughed. "That makes things a bit complicated for us, does it not?"

"Mother and I both needed someone to mellow us out though your father does have my sympathy. She can be difficult."

"And we are not?" she teased.

"Very difficult," he murmured, their lips meeting in another kiss.

Maurice was waiting anxiously with the sultan's daughters for news. When the doors to the bedchamber opened and the valide stepped out, he rushed over to her.

"Tatiana…..my Belle…is she all right?"

The valide smiled. "We are to have a grandchild," she announced.

"Belle is with child?" Maurice exclaimed.

"She will deliver in seven moons time."

Maurice threw his arms around her while the sultan's daughters stared at them in surprise. They had noticed a difference in the way the sultana's father and the valide interacted with each other since Belle and Rumple's attack two months earlier but attributed it to making peace for the sake of their children.

"You have something to tell us, my lady valide?" Emma teased.

"Not just yet but you do, my dear. You have done your sultan and your country proud today."

"That she has," Bae said softly and embraced her. "But she'll make me even more proud if she grants me one favor."

"Oh? And what is that?" Emma asked him.

"By allowing me to make an honest woman of you."

Emma scowled. "That has to be the worst marriage proposal I have ever heard! Honestly Bae, you could come up with nothing better?"

The valide and the sultan's daughters giggled behind the nervous captain of the guards. He'd been thinking about it since he had his talk with Rumple months ago but could never find the proper words to ask.

"Ummm….ummm…"

"Oh good Goddess, yes I'll marry you!" Emma cried. "Although I should refuse until you ask me properly."

Bae picked her up and spun her around, kissing her firmly on the lips while the sultan's daughters squealed with delight.

"What's the fuss out here?" the sultan demanded from the doorway of their bedchamber, Belle on his arm. "Ahh, so you've finally come to your senses Baelfire? I was beginning to worry I would have to command you to marry."

"You could make it a royal decree that no woman in this kingdom marries unless her prospective groom proposes properly!" Emma cried bringing another round of laughter from the assembled crowd.

"I tried!" Bae protested.

"All you said was I would do you a favor by allowing you to make an honest woman of me. How is that a marriage proposal? I may as well be on the auction block in another kingdom's slave market!"

"Baelfire! Is that how you asked?" the sultan scolded.

"Darling, our own marriage did not begin with a proper proposal either," Belle pointed out.

"Try again Bae, and this time do it properly," the sultan advised.

His normally calm and collected captain of the guards was nervous as he kneeled before his intended and reached for her hand, his eyes meeting hers. "Em….I'm not the most romantic man in the seven kingdoms…I don't even know how to be. The only thing I do know is that I love you…and I want to marry you. Will you?"

She smiled. "Now that is the proper way to propose. Yes, Bae I'll marry you." He rose to his feet and spun her around excitedly.

"Well it's about damned time," Rumple muttered under his breath. Belle swatted his arm.

"Rumple!"

Much of the afternoon was devoted to the upcoming nuptials of the sultan's captain of the guards to Emma, the woman the people of Azarajan hailed as a hero for defeating the pirate Killian Jones and saving the lives of the sultan and his beloved kadin. Early in the evening, the sultan and his kadin were in the throne room preparing for a special ceremony that would be held that night when they were informed someone sought an audience with them.

"Very well," the sultan said and Zelena was escorted into the room. She bowed.

"You may rise, Lady Zelena. What did you wish to speak to me about?"

"I ask that Killian Jones not die on the block," she started.

"The man is guilty of attempting to assassinate me and my kadin. The punishment is death by beheading. Why are you now seeking mercy on his behalf?"

"Death by beheading would be merciful my liege. May I suggest a punishment far worse?" she asked with a grin.

"Lifetime imprisonment in the Dark Castle?" Belle asked.

"Partially, my lady sultana. Killian Jones has the pox."

Belle gasped. "Are you certain?"

"I am….and he has infected one of my girls with it."

"And you feel allowing him to die of the disease is a fitting punishment?" Belle inquired.

"Dying of the pox I am told is quite agonizing," the sultan answered.

"A fate worse than death by beheading. A fitting punishment indeed for one so evil," Belle said. "You have done this throne a great service by keeping us informed of the plots against us."

"Indeed you have," the sultan agreed. "Lady Zelena I will grant your request."

"Thank you my liege, my lady sultana." The madam bowed and exited the throne room.

Several hours before the gala, Rumple rode out to the Dark Castle, once the home of his predecessor, now a prison for the worst criminals in the land. The warden bowed when the sultan dismounted his horse.

"I will speak with the prisoner Killian Jones," the sultan informed him. They led him to a cell in the north tower where the former pirate was being held, the chains around his ankles limiting his movements.

"Why am I not on the block yet, crocodile? Not have the heart for it now?" Jones asked sarcastically.

"Oh, no. I would like to send you to the block…but that would be mercy for you now and I am not inclined to show you any after what you did to my kadin. You see, the punishment you will receive is far worse. Only I will not be giving it…that I leave to time and your own wretched body." The sultan grinned evilly. "You have the pox boy but I am not surprised given your fondness for dissolute living," he sneered.

"You're lying!"

"Am I now? You'll see the truth soon enough when the flesh begins to rot from your bones and it will drive you mad." The sultan spun on his heel and left the room. There were two other plotters imprisoned in the castle but he didn't want to speak to either one of them. They were not worth the time and in a matter of hours, their heads would be struck from their bodies with the executioner's axe.

"I have something for you," Belle murmured when the sultan returned to their bedchamber to dress for the gala.

"Oh? What?"

She handed him a box. He reached inside and took out a set of robes.

"You made these yourself?"

"I know I am not as skilled a weaver as you are but I…" His lips were on hers before she could finish her sentence and they collapsed on the bed, banishing the memories of the traumatic events of that day with more pleasant ones.

That night Rumple and Belle rose from their thrones and stood before a group of people Rumple addressed the court.

"Today these men and women have done a great service both to the sultana and myself and to Azarajan and tonight we honor them. First, the members of my royal guard: Jefferson, Graham, Mulan and Philip for apprehending Jafar, Jones, and the crew members of the Jolly Roger."

The audience clapped.

"The lady Zelena, who at great risk to her own safely, alerted us of the danger to our throne."

He waited for the applause to die down before he approached the last two in the line. "But there were two among them today who not only saved the lives of the current rulers of this country but also protected its heir to the throne, Baelfire and Emma!" he declared.

Belle approached each of the members of the group and hung a specially crafted medal around their necks and each was granted lands in the country to build their own estates but the royal couple had a special gift for the brave young woman who singlehandedly defeated the realms' most ruthless pirate.

"Our special gift, to you Emma, is that you will now be the commander of your own division in the royal army with the blessing of the sultan and myself to inspire more women to take on a role that has been for centuries believed better suited for a man. Today you showed us that a woman can fight as well as a man in battle and she can achieve great victories."

"T…Thank you….my lady sultana," Emma said nervously.

"You do me proud, dearie. You have from the moment I first saw you best my Baelfire in the training grounds when you were no older than Jasmine," the sultan said softly and embraced her. "And I will be more proud when you become his bride."

"T…Thank you…Papa," Emma stammered, brushing tears from her eyes. He kissed her forehead and Bae draped his arm over her shoulders.

It was after midnight when the sultan and his kadin were walking in the palace square arm in arm and stopped in front of the elegant fountain. Belle was still astounded that he'd chosen a marble likeness of her to be the centerpiece. He kneeled in front of her and took her hand in his.

"Rumple?"

"My darling Belle, I love you more than life itself. Will you marry me…again?" he asked softly, his eyes meeting hers.

"Yes!" she sobbed and threw herself into his arms once he stood up. "Yes, yes, yes!"

"We will renew our vows at The Temple of Selene and then, my darling Belle, we will have the wedding night we should have the first time," he vowed.

"I look forward to it," she whispered.


	9. And That's The Way The Story Goes

Three years later

"...And some time later the sultan's beloved kadin gave him the most precious of all gifts, a beautiful prince and princess with their mother's eyes and their father's hair. As he looked down upon his princess and saw her rosy complexion she reminded him of the single red rose he'd given his beloved kadin one day shortly after he realized that what he felt for her was no longer friendship but love...true love. He named their princess Raihana, which means fragrance of a rose and their son Rolando in honor of the father he never knew yet admired all his life and from that moment on the sultan realized he had room in his heart to love more than the valide, his adopted children and his kadin. Then, the sultan, his beloved kadin and little Raihana and Rolando lived happily ever after," Belle was saying softly while her daughter and son cuddled up beside her.

"It appears that I have missed story time again," the sultan murmured from the doorway of his daughter's bedchamber, his golden walking stick tapping on the floor. His young children squealed with delight, jumped off the bed and ran over to him, holding their arms up for him. He sat down in a chair and scooped them up, kissing their foreheads.

"Mama tell story again for Papa?" Raihana asked hopefully, glancing over at her mother.

"Papa's heard it so many times he's probably gotten tired of it by now," Belle said with a laugh. Rumple carried their children over to the bed and sat them down beside their mother while he climbed into bed in the empty place beside her.

"Not the way you tell it, my beloved kadin," he whispered.

"Mama, tell story again for Papa!" Rolando cried.

"It's time for you to sleep, my darlings," her mother reminded her.

"Wanna hear story first!" the child demanded, crossing his arms over his chest and giving her a look that matched his father's perfectly when he was cross at someone. "Tell story...then we sleep."

Rumple chuckled. "Well, it seems our son has just given you a royal command."

"You won't stay awake for all of it."

"Wanna hear story!" Raihana insisted.

"Oh, very well. Once upon a time in the great kingdom of Azarajan there lived a sultan named Rumplestiltskin..." Belle began again.

She was only halfway through their story when Rumple pressed a finger to her lips and pointed down at their sleeping children. The couple slipped out of the bed, drew the covers over the children, kissed their cheeks and left the room, walking arm in arm down the hall to their own bedchamber.

"It would make the perfect fairy tale were it not for treacherous wives, scheming in-laws, bloodthirsty pirates and ruthless ex-royal viziers," Rumple said softly, pulling his wife into his arms. "And let's not forget ill-tempered beasts."

Belle reached up and caressed his cheek. "You were not as much of a beast as you claimed to be and even when you were, I knew how to tame you."

"Oh, and how is that?" he teased.

"Like this," she whispered and drew his mouth down to hers, taking his hand and guiding him over to their bed. "But this...is the way I like best..." she went on when they collapsed onto the bed wrapped in each other's arms.

Hours later they lay in each other's arms after they made love as they did every night, neither of them speaking. There was no need to. After three years of marriage, they were able to communicate to each other so well without words. Finally Belle broke the silence.

"I would like to give you another prince…a princess, or both again," she said.

"I believe you already have," he said with a smile. "I recall you making a similar declaration two years ago and it was not long afterwards that our and Rolando and Raihana were born. The goddess must fear your wrath because she has not disappointed us yet."

"She'd better not. I intend to give you a palace full of children Rumplestiltskin," she declared.

"And how long do you intend to do this? Even when our Raihana or Rolando presents us with our first grandchild?"

"Perhaps," she replied with a grin. "You'd best rest up husband because I intend to spend our nights working on it."

"I may need to ask Regina for some potion to keep up my strength," he joked. She grabbed a pillow and started battering him with it. "Okay, okay okay! I yield!" he cried as he fended off the blows.

"That's better. You won't be taking any more potions." she ordered.

"Now who is giving royal decrees?" he asked, chuckling. "And I seem to recall our son commanding you to tell me our story. You didn't finish it. And you left out a few parts."

She rolled over and pulled him on top of her. "Every night, beginning with their wedding night, the sultan would ask his beloved Belle to read him a story or tell him one of her own to help him sleep, waiting patiently for the day when the effects of the terrible potion he'd been given would reverse and they could truly become one," she whispered, her mouth seeking his again. "She feared that night would never happen for while her body started to respond to her husband's touch, he could not respond to hers. At first they assumed it was the due to the potion but as time went on she learned that sultan's malady was in his mind...and heart. Having been betrayed by his two previous wives, the sultan no longer believed that someone could want him. Then one day while the sultan and his kadin were out riding in the woods they were attacked by a group of men hired by the evil Jafar. The couple, fighting side by side, managed to kill their attackers but during their flight the sultan was injured. Since they were so far from the palace they were forced to seek shelter in a cave." She punctuated the last sentence with a kiss.

"Go on," he encouraged. "Remember, you are not telling this to our children."

She smiled. "It was a cold and rainy night and the only means the sultan and his kadin had of keeping warm was sharing the heat from their bodies. As they lay in each other's arms in that cave, they confessed that their feelings for each other had evolved at last from friendship to love and the sultan at last could feel his body responding to his kadin's touch. They would only share kisses and caresses that night, promising each other that they would do much more once they were back in their own bed only when the search party discovered them they were both ill. They were ill for several days. When they recovered, the sultan decided to take his kadin to the new palace he'd built called Serenity." She could feel her desire for him building again as she remembered the next part of the story. "And at last they made love..." she whispered, all thoughts of continuing to tell the story forgotten when they decided it was better to show each other what transpired between them that night.

Later on when she lay in his arms again, her head on his chest, she continued their story. "...They made love...beautifully, passionately, throughout the night until they drifted off to sleep and awakened to a beautiful sky the next day. From that day on they rarely parted not knowing that others were working in the shadows to harm the sultan and cast doubt on his kadin's love for him and believing she had betrayed him, he ordered her to leave."

"He was a damned fool," Rumple said bitterly.

"But his kadin loved him and did not want to leave him. She was going back to their chambers to speak with him, to tell him that she loved him and would have no part in any schemes to harm him but before she could reach him, she fell into a slumber from a potion that had been planted in her tea. She was then captured and taken aboard a pirate ship as bait to trap the sultan while the kadin's father, the valide and her lady in waiting convinced the sultan of her innocence. You see, the pirate heard stories from the sultan's former kadin that the sultan would never fight in battle but the sultan surprised the pirate by matching his skill and removing his hand. The pirate, to gain the upper hand in the battle tossed the sultan's sleeping kadin in the ocean forcing the sultan to choose between fighting the pirate to prove he was not a coward or rescuing his kadin. He chose his kadin and as he pulled her from the water, his troops arrived and captured the pirate and his crew."

"When I think about what could've happened that day..." Rumple said sadly.

Belle smiled, caressed his cheek and continued her story. "She knew from the moment she was taken that her husband loved her as much as she loved him and that he would come for her. When he took her in his arms and told her he was sorry and that he loved her, it was all she needed at that moment. But once they returned to the palace and the kadin was examined by the lady Johanna the sultan and his kadin were given the news they wanted to hear from that first night they spent in Serenity...they were expecting a child. And seven moons later his kadin surprised him by giving him not one, but two children. The kadin had given the sultan five years to prove that she could love him and give him a child and she had succeeded in doing both in less than two. Jafar and Oliver were executed and Jones died of the pox as punishment for his dissolute living. And the sultan, his kadin and their little Raihana and Rolando lived happily ever after…or as close as one could get to it."

He laughed. "As close as one could get to it indeed."

Later that night as his wife slept beside him Rumple looked out the window at the starry sky and smiled to himself. He now had everything he could possibly want….the love of his people, dozens of adopted children, his mother even when she tried to drive him mad, but most importantly of all he had his beloved kadin Belle and their own beautiful children. There was no such thing as a happy ever after but as Belle had said, they were as close as one could get to living it. It was enough for him.


End file.
